REPORTS say China recently tested multiple anti-ship ballistic missiles from a man-made island near the Spratlys, which shows that country’s intentions in the South China Sea. China claims as its own almost the entire sea, which is said to be rich in natural gas and oil. South China sea also encompasses the body of water that we call the West Philippine Sea.
The activity was monitored by the United States, which also has designs in the Pacific, but not as claimant to South China Sea territory. The US rightly noted China’s intention, which is to intimidate not only the other claimants to some of the territories it is claiming, like the Philippines, but also other global forces that do not recognize China’s claim and are continuing to exercise the right to use the South China Sea lane, like the United States.
After China’s initiative came Japan’s own, which was to show its capability of militarily defending its allies, most of whom are embroiled with China in the territorial dispute with other Asian states. We still have to hear President Duterte’s reaction to the report. Did it further make him weak in the knees? I say that instead of using the missile test to condemn China, I am sure he will use it to further weaken the country’s resolve to defend our territories.
The old imperialist powers, especially the United States, apparently were unable to prepare for a nascent China and the aggressiveness of its attempt to force a redivision of global spheres of influence. But while they might be “too late the hero,” they seem to have started forming lately a united front against what can be described as China’s own global imperialist designs, especially in the South China Sea. Unfortunately for the Philippines, its leaders have chosen the wrong strategy of “sleeping with the enemy.”
But I don’t think this is an accident of fate. This coincided with the rise to power of Xi Jinping, who seems to have the best understanding of global politics among all of the Chinese Communist Party chairpersons in recent history.
Duterte is in a way like Malaysia’s Najib Razak, who rose to power apparently with a good dose of Chinese help. This has prompted the retired Mahathir Muhammad to make a political comeback to protect Malaysian interest in Malaysia.
The old imperialist powers led by the United States are now hitting back at China after momentarily losing the initiative. It will now be up to us to decide which side we would want to be with. President Duterte’s pivot to China is apparently not making dividends because of its faulty logic. We can’t be friendly to a country that covets what is ours: territory and sovereignty. We are arguably a neocolony of the United States but China wants us to be its mere province.
I say our leadership needs to choose the lesser of two evils. I fought US imperialism in my younger years but China’s every maneuver in the South China Sea makes me hate it more than the United States. The bigger threat to us now is China, with the United States only ranking second.