If you are here in the Philippines, or if you are a Filipino living in another part of the globe but with an internet connection, it would be hard not to notice how the China issue has escalated during the past couple of days.
The trigger was when Chinese Ambassador Jin Quan said in an interview in Diliman Dialogue that in case of war, the Philippines is no match militarily with China, but hostilities won’t happen because “we want peace.”
The Chinese envoy was just saying the obvious, but years of anti-China bias among some of our senators and congressmen, Coast Guard and defense department officials have enabled the dominance of official stupidity in the bureaucracy.
Some of these officials just showed how little they know of the country’s history, thus giving little value to the friendship and cooperation between the inhabitants of these islands before they were even called Filipinos, and the ancient Chinese dynasty.
I refer to the visit in 1417 of Sulu Sultan Paduka Pahala for a historic diplomatic and trade mission to meet the Yongle Emperor of China’s Ming Dynasty.
They did not know that General Emilio Aguinaldo’s officer Mariano Ponce received maximal help from Dr. Sun Yat-sen when he was sent to procure rifles for the Filipino revolutionaries, in their fight against Spain and the United States.
These senators and congressmen do not give a damn about the fact that Chinese in the Philippines fought side by side with Filipino guerrillas during World War 2, fighting the Japanese invaders.
And very recently, when the Philippines suffered an oil shock due to the West Asia war of the US and Israel against Iran, and the consequent closing by the IRGC of the Strait of Hormuz where more than 1/5 of the world’s supply of oil, fertilizers, etc. pass, it was China which provided the oil for our economy. This, despite the diatribes, lies and provocations that defense secretary Gibo Teodoro hurled in a forum in Singapore at the time.
Let us not dance around—I completely understand the exasperation of Ambassador Jin Quan and the Chinese embassy over the unfair and insulting remarks some of our senators are dishing out with relish.
China itself is peeved, as it is reportedly considering 10 possible countermeasures against the Philippines, including travel sanctions on Filipino politicians, cuts in oil and fertilizer supplies, the towing of the grounded warship Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal, pressure on Chinese tourism in the Philippines, and trade sanctions on Philippine exports.
Other proposed measures include imposing sanctions on Philippine politicians considered hostile to China, barring them and their immediate family members from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao, freezing their assets in Chinese territory, and prohibiting Chinese companies and individuals from conducting transactions with them.
Beijing could also publicly disclose the business dealings, financial interests and assets in China of certain politicians, according to the report.
The proposals extend beyond trade and maritime disputes. China could advise its citizens against traveling to the Philippines, citing security concerns and alleged criminal activities, while intensifying enforcement against Filipinos working illegally in mainland China.
In Hong Kong and Macao, authorities could tighten enforcement of visa and employment regulations affecting Filipino workers and suspend dialogue with Manila on labor-related issues, the report said.
Another possible diplomatic measure would be to demand the closure of some Philippine consulates general in China, including the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong, if Manila approves the establishment of an office by Taiwan authorities in Cebu.
President Marcos, who is in charge of foreign policy, should not wait for more incidents that would undermine our relations with China. He should act now—first by firing Gibo Teodoro and Jay Tarriela, and giving the DFA the power and respect that it deserves in handling his One-China foreign policy.
#OpinYon #WeTAkeaStand