China’s Diversionary Tactics Over West Philippine Sea Issues

Manila – In a statement released on Tuesday, July 19, Chinese embassy expresses their willingness to cooperate for the campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte on cracking down illegal drugs. After the President said he would confront China on why Chinese Drug Lords are able to run drug trafficking operations in the Philippines. Will it be the China’s diversionary tactics over west Philippine Sea issues?

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China said that it recognizes the Duterte administration’s firm stand to solve the problem of illegal drugs in the Philippines. The statement said, “China fully understands that the Philippine government under the leadership of H.E. President Rodrigo Duterte has taken it as a top priority in cracking down drug-related crimes.”

Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said that the President’s top priority is to regain access to the Scarborough Shoal for Filipino fishermen. According to the article that rappler posted that the President would talk to China about the drug problem after issues like the West Philippine Sea dispute have been settled.

After the decision of the tribunal court, China seems to continue their activity and still rejecting to give up the islands to the Philippines. The report from Inquirer said that the Philippines also reject the request of China to talk about the issue of the disputed island. President Duterte is waiting for the response of former President Ramos to attend the ruling. Yasay, however, did not know if Ramos will accept the calling to be dispatched on the mission that the president has given to him.

Will the China’s offer be a way for the Philippines to retrieve the islands on the West Philippine Sea or it is just a way of China to control the Philippines not to react to the issues? Do Filipinos really need the help of Chinese government to put an end to the problem of illegal drugs when the President already made a promise for the solution, while forgetting the unsolved problem in the West Philippine Sea? Isn’t it true that the cooperation the Philippines needed for them is to leave and hand over the islands?

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