BEIJING/MANILA - China has lodged a formal protest and issued a stern warning to the Philippines, accusing its President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., of "playing with fire" with recent comments about a potential conflict over Taiwan. The diplomatic row underscores rising tensions in the region, fueled by both the Taiwan question and ongoing maritime disputes in the South China Sea.The controversy began during President Marcos's state visit to India, where he was asked in an interview about the Philippines' position on a potential war between China and the United States over Taiwan. Marcos stated that due to the Philippines' geographical proximity and the large number of Filipino workers on the self-governed island, the country would be "inevitably" drawn into the conflict. He emphasized that the primary concern would be a "humanitarian problem" of evacuating Filipino nationals.
China's response was swift and forceful. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its embassy in Manila filed "serious protests" with the Philippine government. A spokesperson for the ministry stated that Marcos's remarks ran contrary to Manila's long-standing commitment to the "one-China" principle, which asserts that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory.
"Geographical proximity and large overseas populations are not excuses for a country to interfere in the internal affairs of others," the Chinese foreign ministry statement read. Beijing accused the Philippines of "fudging and hollowing out" the one-China principle and warned Manila to "refrain from playing with fire on issues concerning China's core interests."This latest diplomatic flare-up adds to an already tense relationship between the two nations, which have been locked in a series of confrontations in the South China Sea. Recent incidents have included aggressive maneuvers by Chinese coast guard vessels against Philippine ships, including the use of water cannons.
Marcos's comments, while seemingly rooted in a humanitarian concern for the estimated 160,000 Filipino nationals in Taiwan, were interpreted by Beijing as an affront to its sovereignty and a signal of Manila's growing alignment with the United States. The U.S., which has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines, has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to defending Filipino forces in the event of an attack in the South China Sea.
The situation highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region, where the Taiwan question and competing territorial claims in the South China Sea are increasingly intertwined. As countries like the Philippines seek to balance their economic ties with China and their security partnerships with the U.S., statements on sensitive issues like Taiwan are being scrutinized for their potential to either escalate or de-escalate regional tensions.
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