After building artificial islands with airfields in the disputed reefs in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), China is now building lighthouses on those reefs. This is a clear sign that China intends to stay in spite of world opinion that the disputes should be decided peacefully through international arbitration.
In the past, China has tried to use persuasion and economic diplomacy to improve relations with Southeast Asian countries. Recently, Chinese foreign policy has become more aggressive. There are also clear signs that China may even be interfering in the internal affairs of certain countries.
China interfering in Philippine politics?
In a recent issue of the Economist magazine, there was a disturbing report about alleged China interference in Philippine internal affairs. The article tackled the issue of growing interference of the Chinese in the politics of “foreign countries in the region [SEAN].” The report states that President Aquino has incurred China’s wrath because of his criticism of its reef grabbing tactics in the South China Sea and his request that an international tribunal rule on China’s claims. Here is an excerpt from that article in the Economist:
“Chinese diplomats have given almost open support to his [Aquino] vice president, Jejomar Binay, who was elected separately and will be the main opposition candidate in the May presidential elections.
It [China] has also sought to win the support of the Philippine business community, tantalizing it with the juicy economic prospects that better relations might yield. It probably helps that, as elsewhere in Southeast Asia, ethnic Chinese dominate many businesses, despite making up little more than one percent of the Philippine population.”
China has exploited ethnic and cultural links with overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia to attract investments and build a political and social network. This has caused resentment and racial tensions in countries like Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia where the ethnic Chinese communities have not integrated into mainstream society.
However, the Economist article also observed: “...of the estimated 34 million ethnic Chinese now living in South East Asia, those in the Philippines and Thailand have seemed among the minorities most successfully assimilated. Mr. Aquino himself is of Chinese descent...” My mother’s family – Sicangco – is also of Chinese descent.
China interferes in Malaysia and Myanmar
In recent weeks, there have been mass street protests against Malaysian Prime Minister Najib for an alleged $700-million bribery scandal. However, it has become evident that the majority of the protesters are Malaysians with Chinese or Indian ethnic identity. On the other hand, predominantly Malay Muslim crowds have organized counter demonstrations and have been heard chanting: “Go back to China.” The protests have taken on racial dimensions.
The most surprising development was when Ambassador Huang Huiking, China’s ambassador to Malaysia, is reported to have visited Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown and told a Malaysian Chinese audience that China would oppose any revival of racial conflicts in Malaysia. It should be noted that in 1969, there were racial riots in Malaysia.
The Ambassador was reported to have said that if demonstrators target ethnic Chinese:”...we will not sit by idly. We certainly hope that Malaysia will maintain social stability.” There have been angry responses from ethnic Malay politicians. Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister is reported to have said that Ambassador Huang must “...lay to rest claims that the Chinese envoy had intended to interfere in local affairs.”
Also, in a recent security forum in Beijing, Malaysia’s Armed Force head Zulkelfi Mohd Zin said: “I would like to address the issue of the unwarranted provocation by the Chinese over the construction on the garrisoned islands of the South China Sea.”
Myanmar has been considered as one of China’s principal allies in the ASEAN region. It is not involved in the territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea. China’s investments and aid have also become important to that nation.
There was a recent peace agreement between the Myanmar government and around half a dozen ethnic rebel groups. One of Myanmar’s government peace negotiators said that Chinese officials had tried to persuade several of the insurgent armies, including the Kachin Independence Organization and United Wa State Army not to sign the peace deal.. The report stated that China has had a standing relationship with several of the ethnic rebel groups in northern region of Myanmar which is along the China-Myanmar border. China is said to be worried that the peace deal would undermine their influence in the border region.
China’s interference in domestic politics might lead to increasing ethnic tensions and conflicts in Southeast Asia which nobody wants.
Thucydides trap
American power is again being challenged by its old nemesis – Russia and China. Russia has annexed Crimea and sent troops into Ukraine and Syria. China has warned the United States to stay away from the Spratly Islands. US Defense Secretary Carter responded: “...the United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows...and the South China Sea is no exception.”
In his Sept. 22 speech in Seattle, Xi Jing Ping said: “There is no such thing as the so-called Thucydides trap in the world. But should major countries time and again make the mistakes of strategic miscalculation, they might create such traps for themselves. Two days later, Obama stated that he doesn’t believe in the Thucydides Trap.
Thucydides was an ancient Greek historian who wrote a long treatise that said that war is sometimes inevitable even when two powers do not desire war but see no other alternative – the Thucydides Trap.
He was talking of Athens and Sparta. Tomorrow the United States and China might find their nations caught in a Thucydides Trap.
Where the Write Things Are’s Class for Kids and Teens
Write Away! Weekend: Flash Fiction Writing with Gabriela Lee on October 24 (1-4pm) at the Canadian American School Alphaland Makati Place. Ms. Lee is a writer who teaches at UP Diliman. For registration and fee details contact 0917-6240196 / writethingsph@gmail.com.
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