Manila speaks with 2 voices on China
Conflicting statements from the Philippines’ diplomatic and security arms add uncertainty to an already fraught relationship with Beijing
Manila sent two strikingly different messages to Beijing on October 13. At the Malacanang Palace, a presidential spokeswoman reaffirmed Manila’s commitment to sustaining diplomatic and economic ties with China, saying “China needs the Philippines, and the Philippines needs China”.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has defended the contrasting messages over China. He argues there is no contradiction between them, insisting that the diplomatic and defence arms of his administration are working towards the same objective through different approaches.
