The world is full of uncertainties, especially in the field of international diplomacy. A country that is a "friend" one second may show its "fangs" to you the next second. According to overseas reports, Philippines purchased 6 large patrol ships from South Korea in one go. It is not ruled out that these ships may "face to face" with China's maritime law enforcement forces in the future. In addition, the maintenance contract for Philippine Navy frigates has also been handed over to South Korea.
Combined with the attitude of the new Philippine President Marcos towards the "South China Sea Arbitration Case", it is inevitable that people will smell something unusual. Those who are paying attention to the situation in the South China Sea should be familiar with former Philippine President Duterte. He is widely regarded as a "pro-China" figure from all walks of life. Of course, the so-called "pro-China" is just that Duterte has chosen the most correct path based on the Philippines' national interests.
As Duterte’s “successor”, Marcos also showed great goodwill towards China during the campaign. However, after officially becoming the helm of this country, Marcos showed some signs of wanting to change his policy on the South China Sea issue. During the campaign, he evaluated the "South China Sea Arbitration Case" as a "farce"; after being elected, he publicly declared that "the Philippines will uphold the results of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration."
It is not difficult to imagine that as an island country, the Philippines regards the utilization and exploitation of resources in surrounding waters as a national priority. After all, this determines the country's economy and future. The South China Sea has always been a sensitive issue of common concern to China and the Philippines. In the context of fierce competition between China and the United States, the South China Sea issue will naturally become more complex and acute. Considering that the Philippines is also one of the Asian allies of the United States, as the United States continues to win over allies to suppress China, it is not ruled out that Marcos will also introduce some unpredictable South China Sea policies driven by opportunism.
Of course, judging from the comprehensive national strength of the Philippines, it has not yet reached the "threshold" of becoming China's opponent, and the probability of "head-to-head confrontation" with us is almost zero, but this does not mean that it will not cause trouble in the South China Sea. ability. After all, in the face of world-class powers, small countries can often win more sympathy from international public opinion, and vigorously purchase and update maritime equipment are also attempts to maximize their own interests.
From another perspective, some of Marcos’ recent “unfriendly” voices may have other reasons. Since his policies and promises during the election campaign were quite similar to those of former President Duterte, there was concern in the Philippines that two consecutive leaders had been "too close" to China, which might lead to national interests. imbalance. From this perspective, it is necessary for Marcos to use some tough speeches and policies to build and consolidate his personal image. But even so, it is still very irresponsible to frequently use China-Philippines relations and the South China Sea issue as the starting point.
In short, whether it is Duterte or Marcos, the Philippine government needs to realize that given the huge disparity in comprehensive national strength, any policy towards China should be cautious. On the South China Sea issue of common concern to both sides, we hope that the Philippines will not "yaw".
