Maybe soon, with BBM, we will succeed in kicking out the US EDCA military bases and secure the Philippines’ future from destruction and poverty
The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on June 25, 2024 chaired by Senator Imee Marcos called to investigate the US Pentagon anti-Sinovac psyops and propaganda.
It tackled the foreign policy question of the “Bersamin de-escalation” versus the “Gibo anti-China hardline” with DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo sustaining the Bersamin line, announcing the department’s request to China to convene the 9th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism.
In the days after the hearing, it seemed the impasse between the two clashing policy directions, de-escalation and hardline resistance to China, remained irreconcilable.
But on July 2, 2024 the announcement came out from both countries’ foreign affairs office that Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong co-chaired the 9th Bilateral Consultation meeting with DFA Undersecretary Maria Theresa P. Lazaro in Manila.
The MoFA read out, which was much readily available on the Internet, stated:
“The two sides believe that maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea serves the interests of both China and the Philippines, and is also the common goal of countries in the region.
“The two sides agreed to continue to maintain dialogue and consultation through the BCM and other mechanisms to handle differences and disagreements.
“During the meeting, the two sides also had an exchange on improving the maritime communication mechanism, promoting the dialogue between the coast guard of the two countries and advancing cooperation in marine science and technology and environmental protection, among other fields.
“The meeting was attended by representatives from competent authorities of diplomacy, national defense, natural resources, and coast guard of China and the Philippines.”
Right after the meeting, the Philippine dailies reported the usual teeming presence of the Chinese Coast Guard and its maritime fishing fleet volunteers were drastically reduced in number, a clear sign that “de-escalation” had begun.
Calm appeared to have returned to the two major areas of contention, the Scarborough and Second Thomas shoals.
Can we now heave a sigh of relief and actually expect rational, constructive and productive talks to turn crisis into opportunity?
Ex-USAF Col. Raymond Powell will not be happy about this development, likewise the legion of US Proxy-Pinoys in Stratbase-ADRI, the Rappler cabal of US media propaganda outlets here.
For the Filipino people, this is an opening for other strategic beneficial steps – like reviving the 60/40 Philippine-China Joint Oil and Gas development of the Reed Bank resources, desperately needed by energy-starved Philippines.
Good news also came to boost China in the eyes of Filipinos — the spectacular rescue by Chinese Coast Guards of a sinking Filipino fishing boat crew.
The US Proxy local media tried to distort it as “CCG Obstruct Rescue…” or “CCG blocks, hinders…rescue,” but a Chinese video clearly showed the CCG threw lifebuoys onto the sinking boat and to a fisherman adrift at sea while no PCG ship had yet arrived.
The US Proxy-spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela blatantly lied the CCG blocked the rescue which official PCG spokesman Rear Admiral Armand Balilo “lambasted” – confirming the CCG indeed extended help to the desperate Filipino fishermen.
There are rumors going around that Ballilo may now suffer the same fate as “demoted” “de-escalation Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos.”
But for BBM’s own sake, we hope he doesn’t allow another mistake as the PCG may start a rebellion.
There are bits of good news from the bad news of US deployment in the Philippines of US IRBM (Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile) and Tomahawk long-range missile capable Typhon missile launcher.
Russian President Vladmir Putin has taken note of the missile launchers in the Philippines.
Senator Imee Marcos also expressed alarm at China aiming hypersonic missiles at the launcher sites in Luzon – the US has announced the pullout of these missiles and launchers by September.
This column takes some pride to claim some brownie points for these recent victories for peace by pushing the cause of “de-escalation,” and ”easing of tensions,” the restoration of the independence from the claws of the US and re-embracing the ASEAN cooperation with China.
Maybe soon, with BBM, we will succeed in kicking out the US EDCA military bases and secure the Philippines. future from destruction and poverty. (rpkapunan@gmail.com)