Relationship between China and the Philippines
The Philippines and the People’s Republic of China are neighboring countries that form part of the boundaries of the South China Sea. Over the years, the ownership of these international waters has been subject to debate among the countries bordering it. As a result, these countries, including China and the Philippines, have not enjoyed positive relations with each other. Several disputes concerning ownership of the South China Sea have damaged relations between the two countries.
However, in recent years, the two countries experienced changes in leadership, which saw the introduction of new policies. Previously, the Filipinos were not happy with the Chinese government for refusing to relinquish territorial claims over the South China Sea (De Castro 1). President Rodrigo Duarte formulated policies that tried to overlook this dispute and mend their relationship with the people of China. By doing so, he hoped that the Chinese government would invest in the Philippines (Chandran 1). The president was more interested in China’s service that he was willing to compromise the country’s relations with the US.
At the same time, China’s president viewed this move as an opportunity to increase China’s influence over the Philippines. This action would effectively reduce the USA’s power over the Philippines, giving China an upper hand in controlling resources in the neighboring country (Chandran 2). Many Filipinos were not happy with this decision because China did very little in terms of fulfilling the promises they made to the Filipinos.
In conclusion, the relationship between the Philippines and China is not straight-forward. The two countries have some degree of tension between them, thanks to the historical conflict over the South China Sea. However, the current leaders have made efforts to remedy the relationship between the two countries. The positive side to all these is that the attempts at mending the relationship ensure that there is no military war involving the two countries.
Works Cited
Chandran, Nyshka. “The Philippines’ Pivot Toward China Has Yet to Pay Off, As Manila Awaits Promised Funds.” CNBC, 2018, https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/23/chinese-investment-in-the-philippines.html.
De Castro, Renato Cruz. “The 12 July 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration’s (PCA) Award: The Philippines’ Lawfare versus China’s Realpolitik in the South China Sea Dispute.” International Journal of China Studies 8.3 (2017): 347-372.