Standing up against a hegemon

WHEN the news about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. posting a congratulatory message to newly elected Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te broke out, I felt a bit concerned about how China would react — as I was sure it would — mindful of how that country is keenly sensitive about its “renegade province.”

“On behalf of the Filipino people,” President Marcos wrote in his personal X (formerly Twitter) account, “I congratulate President-elect Lai Ching-te on his election as Taiwan’s next President. We look forward to close collaboration, strengthening mutual interests, fostering peace, and ensuring prosperity for our peoples in the years ahead.” While Lai warmly received the greetings, saying he “deeply value[s] the enduring friendship between #Taiwan & the #Philippines,” and that he is “look[ing] forward to enhancing economic and peopleto-people ties while championing democracy, peace & prosperity in the region,” China went ballistic!

On the same day the congratulatory message was posted, China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry reportedly summoned the Philippine ambassador in Beijing, “made solemn representations” — diplomatic discontent, in its parlance — and “urged the Philippines to give China a responsible explanation.”

As if venting its ire on the Philippine ambassador wasn’t enough, China’s mouthpieces took turns lambasting and lecturing Marcos. Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Mao Ning told reporters that his remarks “seriously violated the political commitments made by the Philippines to China and rudely interfered in China’s internal affairs.” She said China “sternly tell[s] the Philippines not to play with fire on the Taiwan issue.” Mao went on to “suggest that President Marcos read more books to properly understand the ins and outs of the Taiwan issue, so as to draw the right conclusions.” The spokesman of the Chinese Embassy in Manila branded Marcos’ recent Taiwan remarks as “erroneous” and a “gross interference in China’s affairs.”

Getting used to

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian admonished our President “to stay committed to the one-China policy, respect China’s internal affairs and be prudent when it comes to the Taiwan issue.” This is the same Huang who, in April 2023, called out Marcos’ decision to grant the United States five additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites that China deems favorable to Taiwan and US interests. In a veiled threat, he warned the Philippines against “stoking the fire by offering the US access to the military bases near the Taiwan Strait if you (Marcos) care genuinely about the 150,000 overseas Filipino workers” in Taiwan.

Amid calls to expel this irreverent top diplomat, Marcos magnanimously accorded him the benefit of the doubt. “I think there must have been an element of ... ‘yung lost in translation. English is not his first language. I believe, I interpret it as him trying to say you should not ... [the] Philippines do not ... provoke or intensify the tensions because it will impact badly on the Filipinos. That’s how I take it,” he said.

‘Wolf warrior’ diplomacy

How much more impertinent remarks, aside from the intense bullying and harassment in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), are the Filipinos willing to endure from this country that calls the Philippines a friend? Well, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. responded in a manner our Department of Foreign Affairs or the Office of the President cannot. “It is unfortunate that the [Chinese] Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson stooped to such low and gutter-level talk — resorting to insulting our president and the Filipino nation, and further debasing herself, the ministry, and party she represents in the process,” Teodoro said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in London criticized United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s “incorrect actions” when he praised Taiwan’s “vibrant democracy.” The Chinese Embassy in Japan filed a diplomatic protest urging “the Japanese side to … refrain from disrupting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and China-Japan relations” after Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa congratulated Lai. The Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry accused US Secretary of State Antony Blinken of sending “a gravely wrong signal” to Taiwan’s separatist forces by congratulating Lai and going against the one-China policy.

But the more disturbing display of disrespect, if not arrogance, by a diplomat was by Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian, according to an article published in Breaking Defense Indo-Pacific on January 17. The article says that Xiao wrote to tell Australia that “… it is absurd and dangerous to talk about peace and stability across Taiwan Strait while condoning and supporting ‘Taiwan independence.’” He warns political leaders that “if Australia is tied to the chariot of Taiwan separatist forces,” it will drag its people to be “pushed over the edge of an abyss.” Malcolm Davis, an analyst from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, sees this as evidence of “China’s return to ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy, leading by aggressive diplomacy, full of overt and implied threats.”

By these acts of China’s diplomatic corps getting into a frenzy in criticizing nations that offered congratulations to Taiwan’s successful election of a new leader, it exposed not only its resolute stance on Taiwan but to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party that it refers to as “separatist forces.” China is showing the world how far it is willing to go in imposing its political will, backed by its economic power and military might, not only in the region but also in the world, not only to underdeveloped nations but to First World countries as well.

A tough choice

This gives more impetus for the Philippines to stand its ground in resolutely protecting and defending its maritime rights and entitlements in our exclusive economic zone against China’s encroachments and aggressive behavior. President Marcos’ approach to the WPS issue, backed by the 58-percent satisfaction rating among Filipinos surveyed in a recent poll, should continue and resist the lure of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which is a means to its “debt trap diplomacy.” Our political leaders should learn from the lessons of developing nations that China dangled funds to pursue major infrastructure projects through unsustainable loans and then used the debt to gain leverage over those governments. What the governments of Sri Lanka and, more recently, Nauru experienced in this regard is something to be reckoned with.

We should seriously consider and heed the advice of Ambassador Huang at the New Year Media party hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Manila. The relations between Beijing and Manila being “at a crossroads,” the Philippines “need to make a good choice” that will prioritize the common interest of their citizens. Huang said China and the Philippines may have differences, but they could resolve this matter “in a mature and constructive manner.”

Clearly, in these instances, China is not a good option. Even more clearly, the manner in which we were treated in the WPS is neither mature nor constructive. And in championing the greater Filipino interest against this hegemon, we should vest upon our leaders the strong and unwavering support they badly need.