What goes around, comes around
Since cutting the floating barrier, the Philippines has observed less Chinese presence in the shoal.
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Daily TribuneSince cutting the floating barrier, the Philippines has observed less Chinese presence in the shoal.
Share
In the previous administration, local Chinese agents regularly generated the war bogey to stop interference in the mainland's occupation agenda in the West Philippine Sea.
Now that the Philippines is pushing back, China is complaining that the government of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos is stirring up trouble.
China does not want a dose of its own medicine in terms of its assertiveness being matched.
The strategy appears to be maintaining the gray zone pressures on the Philippines while constantly accusing it of being a lackey of the United States.
Thus, a Beijing mouthpiece said the intention of the US to rapidly expand and enhance military cooperation with the Philippines, and to contain China in the region through more military activities and a greater presence "is very clear."
According to the Communist Party's factotum, the US aims to utilize the Philippines' unique geopolitical position, serving as a forward military outpost to enhance its deterrence against China during peacetime, and as a base to support and even launch US military operations against China during wartime.
China warned the US plan will undoubtedly promote militarization of the Asia-Pacific, attempting to turn the region, which has long maintained overall peace, into a powder keg.
The Philippines was also cautioned about risking becoming the blasting fuse for an armed conflict.
China, thus, is belittling the sovereign issues the Philippines has raised that the Permanent Court of Arbitration mostly upheld in a 2016 award.
More importantly, the arbitral ruling invalidated China's nine-dash line claim, which is the basis of its reclamation binge in the disputed waters.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. ultimately rejected the narrative that the Philippines was merely allowing itself to be the superpower's pawn.
Marcos indicated that the Philippines will continue to put up a strong defense of its territory and the rights of its fishers while assuring China that it is not looking for trouble.
The Philippine Coast Guard's dismantling of a 300-meter floating barrier installed by China was the right move and a strong pushback against China's increasingly aggressive actions in WPS.
"What we will do is to continue defending the Philippines, the maritime territory of the Philippines, the rights of our fishermen to catch fish in areas where they have been doing it for hundreds of years already," Marcos said of the PCG action.
Since cutting the floating barrier, the Philippines has observed less Chinese presence in the shoal.
The development can't be interpreted as China backing down, but it conveys that, unlike before, every effort to encroach on the territory will have an accompanying response.
Other nations worried by the increasing aggressiveness of China hailed the cutting of the floating barrier as a bold move.
It is not the first time the Philippines has been subjected to what experts call China's gray zone operations.
In August, a Chinese coast guard ship fired water cannons at a Philippine vessel conducting resupply missions to the stationary Sierra Madre, which Manila intentionally grounded at the Second Thomas Shoal as a military outpost.
Gray zone operations refer to the use of offensive tactics to intimidate or coerce, short of actual use of weapons.
The Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration, which has supervision over the disputed territories, said military exercises will take place in parts of the WPS, to which the government responded by encouraging fishermen to operate in the area, presumably with escorts.
Beijing has been seeking more dialogue to ensure stability in the region that President Marcos has welcomed.
Yet, sincerity is needed to start the talks and the realization that the Philippines is not seeking confrontation but rather respect from China.
