Philippine President Refuses to Send Warships to South China Sea
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on December 10 that he would not send his navy’s warships to the South China Sea in response to Chinese aggression.
We are not at war; we don’t need navy warships. All we are doing is resupplying our fishermen, protecting our territorial rights. [I]t will be provocative and will be seen as an escalation—we don’t do that. The Philippines does not escalate tensions.
—Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Why it matters: The statements mark a surprisingly pacifistic approach from the president amid rising tensions with China. They reveal that the Philippines, despite being a close ally of the United States, is afraid to stand up to China.
Chinese aggression: The remarks came after the Chinese Coast Guard fired water cannons and sideswiped Philippine vessels last week around the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
The Philippines have dealt with a series of similar Chinese provocations in its waters in recent months.
- September 27: A record number of Chinese Warships entered Philippine waters.
- October 9: Chinese Coast Guard ships harassed Philippine vessels with water cannons.
- November 12: China published a new map reasserting its claims over Philippine waters.
- December 5: A Chinese helicopter harassed Philippine fishermen in the West Philippine Sea.
Intimidation: In recent years, the Philippines has tried to stand up to China’s intimidation, but Marcos’s statement shows that the country’s resolve is weakening.
Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry has long warned of nations around the South China Sea giving in to China’s demands. In 2016, he wrote:
China is intimidating the nations of Southeast Asia into submission to its will. It is forcing these countries to do what it wants. Everything is headed in the direction of war.
—“China Is Steering the World Toward War”
