After Duterte: Avoiding China’s ‘pledge trap’
This is what we might as well call Heydarian since his analyses is all shit for squat.
In my experience in dealing with the Chinese, face is very important. They lost face to Noynoy Aquino and they made him and Filipinos pay dearly for it. There is Scarborough Shoal as a visceral reminder of what was lost because it had been ours for the longest time.
There is also the art of kowtow. Duterte kowtowed and gave the Chinese back face. The Chinese financed several infrastructure projects under BBB. They made vaccines available when supplies were short. We’re not exempt from their posturing in the South China Sea but that is more diplomatic strategy, again for face.
Heydarian doesn’t take into account Duterte’s position of weakness which he inherited from the Boy-King Ngoy-Ngoy. We all know how PNoy kowtowed to the Americans by way of Albert Del Rosario. Even Antonio Trillanes confirmed this.
The next President will have an easier time of it because of the price Duterte paid. Heydarian will not mention how Duterte carefully walked the line between China and the US. He got the US to give vaccines in exchange for the continuation of the VFA. He has made a strong objection to the recent Chinese action at Ayungin Shoal. He is the only ASEAN leader to take a stand against AUKUS which he views as escalating tensions in the region.
Of the Presidential candidates, only Marcos has stated that he will continue with Duterte’s policy towards China.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson has made public that he is for an independent Philippine foreign policy that is neither pro-US or pro-China, but pro-Filipino. Lacson’s visit to Pag-Asa Island may be symbolic but the symbolism came at the proper time. It conveyed to those who were watching that he will do whatever is necessary to protect the Philippines interest in what is its sovereign territory and waters where it exercises sovereign rights.
Robredo is for China’s recognition of the arbitral award which is not going to happen anytime in the near or far future. It is for this reason that she’s not fit to be President because she has no clue about national security and the art of diplomacy.
Isko Moreno is all sound, no fury. Pacquiao doesn’t have a clue at all.
Just like Heydarian even with his education.
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