– The US is transforming the Philippines into a belligerent proxy against China which happens to be the nation’s largest and most important trade partner;
– The US is using the pretext of China’s supposed threat to maritime trade in the South China Sea, despite the majority of traffic through its waters coming from and going to China and its trade partners, including the Philippines;
– The US had previously colonized the Philippines, brutalizing its population and upon granting it “independence,” continued to impose itself on the government, including through one-sided treaties and perpetual military occupation;
– While the Philippines does have maritime disputes with China, it also has multiple disputes with other nations claiming territory in the South China Sea, the US has selectively inserted itself into disputes with China to escalate them into dangerous conflicts;
– The US is using escalation to justify a military build-up in the region, including within the territory of the Philippines;
– By alienating China, the current government of the Philippines is foregoing trade and infrastructure development and redirecting public funds into military spending at the expense of the nation’s own best interests;
References:
US State Department – U.S. Support for the Philippines in the South China Sea (March 5, 2024):
https://www.state.gov/u-s-support-for-the-philippines-in-the-south-china-sea-8/
US State Department, Office of the Historian – Courses of Action in Vietnam (1965):
https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v03/d189
US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) – The Key Role of U.S. Bases in the Philippines (2008):
https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP88T00528R000100010046-1.pdf
The Nation – Preparing for War in the South China Sea (April 2023):
https://www.thenation.com/article/world/philippines-balikatan-war-games-us-military/
The Star – Kelantan MMEA disposes of seven seized Vietnamese boats (February 2023):
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/02/16/kelantan-mmea-disposes-of-seven-seized-vietnamese-boats
VN Express – Indonesia sinks 86 Vietnamese fishing boats (2018):
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/indonesia-sinks-86-vietnamese-fishing-boats-3797210.html
Harvard University’s Atlas of Economic Complexity – Philippines trade by partner (2021):
https://atlas.cid.harvard.edu/explore?country=174&queryLevel=location&product=undefined&year=2021&productClass=HS&target=Partner&partner=undefined&startYear=undefined
CSIS – How Much Trade Transits the South China Sea?:
NEO – Suicide Bombing in Pakistan is Part of US Proxy War with China (April 2022):
https://journal-neo.su/2022/04/29/suicide-bombing-in-pakistan-is-part-of-us-proxy-war-with-china/
NEO – US Meddling in Thai Elections: Seeking to Create an Anti-China Proxy (March 2023):
https://journal-neo.su/2023/03/16/us-meddling-in-thai-elections-seeking-to-create-an-anti-china-proxy/
NEO – Myanmar Violence: a Slow Burn US Proxy War (April 2022):
https://journal-neo.su/2022/04/25/myanmar-violence-a-slow-burn-us-proxy-war/
NEO – US “International Court” Ruling on China Falls Short (August 2016):
https://journal-neo.su/2016/08/27/us-international-court-ruling-on-china-falls-short/
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