THE Chinese Embassy in Manila said that the Philippines must stop veering into what it described as “the evil path of drawing wolves into the house”, likely referring to Manila the expansion of the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the country and the United States.
The Chinese Embassy’s March 12th remarks were the second criticism in 3 days from China of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
To recall, in February, the Philippines agreed to allow the U.S. military access to 4 more military bases here in the country, under EDCA, an agreement that allows America’s rotational access to a certain number of military facilities nominated by the Philippine government.
America has allowed a whopping $82 million towards infrastructure and improvements at 5 current EDCA sites in the country.
In the same month, President Marcos called the maritime dispute with China the most complicated geopolitical situation in the world.
It can be recalled that aside from the U.S. deploying more of its troops here in the Philippines for military drills, the joint exercises are held on the Western Coast, which faces the West Philippine Sea, and its Northern Luzon Region, across the sea from the Strait of Taiwan.
Granting U.S greater access to military bases will drag Philippines to ‘geopolitical strife’—Chinese Embassy
Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador Marykay Carlson welcomed President Marcos’ decision to allow more U.S. forces in Philippine bases under EDCA, saying that the agreement would help develop the Philippine economy.
But China believes that the move taken by the United States was done out of its geopolitical interest and cold war mentality.
According to the Chinese Embassy, quote, in order to maintain its own hegemony, peace, and development remain the theme of this era and the call of people around the world.
However, the U.S., to secure its hegemony and selfish geopolitical interests and out of the cold-war mentality, keeps upgrading military cooperation with the Philippines by adding EDCA bases and military deployment in this country.
Whereas the U.S. Claims that such cooperation is intended to help the disaster relief efforts of the Philippines and some Americans even tout the EDCA sites as drivers of the local economy, it is plain and simple that those moves are part of the U.S. efforts to encircle and contain China through its military alliance with this country.
To bundle the Philippines into the chariots of geopolitical strife will seriously harm Philippine national interests and endanger
The Chinese Embassy then urged Beijing, Manila, and other countries of the region, to maintain good neighborliness and attain mutual benefit rather than getting distracted by forces fanning the flame and driving a wedge between said countries, especially amid a critical juncture of post-covid recovery.
China also warned against inviting what it described as a “bully” into the community, and to focus on cooperation and development, and truly safeguard, promote, and build peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, bringing more tangible benefits to the people of the Philippines and China.
“Now that China and the Philippines, among other countries of the region, are at a critical juncture of post-covid recovery, we should keep to the right track of maintaining good-neighborliness and attaining mutual benefit rather than getting distracted by forces who are fanning the flame and driving a wedge between us, even less inviting a bully into our community. We need to focus on cooperation and development, and truly safeguard, promote and build peace, stability, prosperity of our region and bring more tangible benefits to people of our two countries,” the Chinese Embassy said.
Meanwhile, over the West Philippine issue, the country has filed over 200 diplomatic protests against China since 2022.
