But what vested right do the US have in this country except to affirm that the Philippines was once their colony in this part of the globe?
Many Filipinos now see the danger of being used to wage war with China, all because of the country’s coziness with that runaway province of Taiwan.
Some even reject the idea of Taiwan being called a “state.”
They point to the fact that Taiwan is not even a member of the UN, and to which the Philippines does not even have diplomatic relations.
All our policies towards that island are circumscribed to US interest. For that, we cannot open military bases with Taiwan, principally after China became a member of the United Nations and was restored to its seat as permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Like the US, the Philippines opted to open diplomatic relations with China, and made a declaration to recognize only a “One-China policy.”
Effectively, the creation of Taiwan resulted in constraint to the exercise of our sovereign right as an independent state.
Such restraint in our diplomacy is tantamount to unilateralism, such that it imposed a limited right on our part to exercise sovereign right making our policy subservient to the US policy.
Through this arrangement, the Philippines was compelled to violate the UN charter when we opened a liaison office for Taiwan just to accommodate its representatives in Manila despite the fact that it has long been expelled as member of UN.
The Philippines continues to maintain US military bases here when supposedly our ties with Taiwan is wholly anchored on the military support of the US.
The decision of the BongBong Marcos administration to increase the number of US bases is incompatible with our pronouncement of expanding and deepening our ties with China.
Increasing the number of US bases is equivalent to taking a belligerent stand against China considering that US policy towards that country is to economically and militarily isolate China.
Some neoliberals are even anticipating war against China.
The additional US bases were erected under EDCA, and all facing towards the South China Sea indicate a clear motivation that sooner or later the Philippines as ally US will be at war with China.
The Philippines should understand that US involvement in Taiwan is specially designed to protect US interest in that area.
There is nothing wrong in the alliance between the US and Taiwan but certainly our alliance with Taiwan has limitations.
US interest in the region should never surpass our interest, particularly on matters of security.
Particularly, our security arrangement with China has been carefully woven in such way that our alliance is undeniably connected to US allies in Asia and Europe.
This is exemplified by our adherence to expand the US bases through EDCA that would result in the US forming a new political equation to include India in the so-called “Pacific Command.”
The vague expansion of EDCA allowed the US to collaterally include many countries in Asia to avail themselves of the privileges granted to US bases in the Philippines, though we have yet to establish a military agreement with them.
This system of leasing military bases is in disregard of the principle of sovereignty of state.
Foreign military bases are only subject to an agreement like a treaty.
Military bases cannot be subleased without antagonizing our neighbor China for such would affect our economic and trade relations notwithstanding the existence of foreign military constitute a threat to China’s security.
Our relations with China is truly unique and hypocritical.
One could only ask: how long can China live the charade of the Philippines appeasing our former colonial masters?
Our alliance and military posturing indicate we are much closer to the US than to Asia for which we rightfully belong.
Many of our countrymen today could not understand why we remain committed to defending US interest, reflected by our defense of Taiwan.
We even joined the US-sponsored military exercise which common sense dictates is directed at China and daring to cross the Taiwan Strait to provoke our giant neighbor.
As some might say, our participation in the US-led military exercise is tantamount to poking the tail of the dragon whose consequence we might have failed to anticipate.
China’s new foreign minister, Qin Gang, had to visit Manila to defuse the falsities of our claim.
For Manila to participate and join the US-led military exercise at the behest of the warmongering elements in Washington is to act more as salesmen of the US military industrial complex.
Qin Gang reiterated America’s carefully calibrated pronouncement behind the military exercise bringing us much closer to the US orbit.
Thus, as competition tightens, small countries will be magnetized to join the alliance until it reaches a point that a conflict will become inevitable.
The resultant effect is the Philippines will be dragged into a conflict now tagged as “proxy war.”
The demand by the US to increase the number of its bases here under EDCA partakes of a much deeper and sinister plan by the US policy makers.
In fact, the US makes it appear their return to the country is akin to one of restoring a vested right.
But what vested right do the US have in this country except to affirm that the Philippines was once their colony in this part of the globe?
(rpkapunan@gmail.com)