DU30 on a roll
OWING to the proximity of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation [APEC] Leaders’ Summit in Vietnam and the 50th anniversary celebration of the founding of ASEAN, President Donald Trump has condescended to attend the ASEAN Summit and meet with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte who has become an international celebrity for his brutal war against drug trafficking.
It appears that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is on a roll provided he knows what he is doing, and where he is going as international geopolitics is shaping up towards a new level in the midst of life threatening issues.
Notwithstanding the fact that the United States will not only remain the military and economic world power for some time to come, but is also naturally resilient to adversities.
Moreover, there is a nagging perception and growing uncertainty that the isolationist and chauvinistic “American First” policy of Donald Trump, is perceived to be a growing disinterest and withdrawal in Asian affairs other than the nuclear threat of North Korea.
On the other hand, China is not only aiming to be the world’s number one economic power by 2030 but is also currently on a whirlwind public relations campaign not only in East Asia but also throughout the world with the aid of investments, technical expertise, and concessional assistance which the United States cannot cope with or compete with.
Moreover, the United States is not only shying away from investing in Asia with its American First Policy, it is coercing American allies to pay their own defense bills, preferably with American arms, as further deterrent to North Korea.
At the last Chinese Communist Party Congress, President XI Jinping emerged as the unrivalled and supreme leader of China who vowed, looking back on 5,000 years of Chinese civilization,
“the great revival of the Chinese Nation” that includes all territories that belong to China covering the entire South China Sea, and others with territorial disputes with China.
It is in this context and milieu that Pres. Digong Duterte has to agilely and dexterously navigate as China emerges as a world power.
Like Sabah, the Philippines may lose the South China Sea by default.
For these reasons, to keep the Philippines within the sphere of American influence, it is noted that close American allies such as Japan and South Korea, with prodding from the US, are accelerating their investments and presence in the Philippines. When all is said and done, all these developments are good for the Philippines as long as Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is up to the challenge.
You be the judge.