Overreacting, as always

It is truly amusing how some Filipinos can overreact to certain situations. Take the case of China now authorizing its Coast Guard to fire on any foreign vessel, whether in the contested South China Sea where the Philippines is one of several competing claimants, or elsewhere. These types of Filipinos are now going too far as to suggest the Philippines prepare for war.

Of course, preparing for war is always in a country's national interest. It would be criminally negligent for a country not to be prepared for such an eventuality. And that is precisely why countries have armed forces, both active and on reserve, that are always in training and kept in a high state of readiness. These forces are always prepared to defend their respective countries. And that includes going to war.

That said, it does not help for people to go crazy at every situation that develops just because it may happen to be irritating or particularly hurtful to our national pride. Yes, China has authorized its Coast Guard to fire on foreign vessels. That does not mean it can start firing or that it can now fire away for sport. Or for the heck of it.

Even the most aggressive and belligerent nations do not just take an action without first making any calculations. Sure, China's Coast Guard can now fire. But will it? Under what circumstances will it fire? Even if those circumstances are met, will it fire without calculating the consequences? Will the expected gain from any firing be greater and more beneficial to it than the repercussions of such a drastic action?

And yet here we are in such a situation where certain Filipinos are calling for war preparations. Just how foolish can some people get? These people still just do not get it. While China's actions may indeed seem belligerent, going to war is farthest from its motives. If China had wanted to go to war for war's sake, it would have done so long ago.

Ironic as it may seem, what China is doing is, on the contrary, for its own self-preservation. With 1.3 billion mouths to feed, it wants the South China Sea for its fish and other marine resources. With an economy that is challenging America for the top position, it wants the South China Sea for the mineral deposits that could be extracted from it to fire its industries.

With those concerns at the very core of its actions, the last thing China would want to do is provoke a war, especially where it may involve America, the world's greatest nuclear power. China is not oblivious to the fact that a war, any war, could just as easily wipe it off the face of the earth as much as it may wipe out others in similar deadly and catastrophic fashion.

And then here come these noisy Filipinos demanding for us to go on a war footing, as if we have the means to do so. Wars are not won by coming to the rescue of wounded pride. Wars are won by not foolishly starting them. China's Coast Guard authorized to fire? That China's Navy, which needs no authorization to fire, has not fired a shot despite US Navy freedom of navigation needling, ought to be a neat lesson for these noisy Filipinos.

‘Yes, China has authorized its Coast Guard to fire on foreign vessels. That does not mean it can start firing or that it can now fire away for sport. Or for the heck of it.’