Right-thinking nations

“We should bring this (China’s aggressive behavior) to the United Nations, right? The West Philippine Sea is truely ours. We cannot match them in terms of military strength. I think we have to strengthen our alliances in the Indo-Pacific area with the right-thinking nations.” JV Ejercito, Philippine Senator

As a German I note with satisfaction, that our ambassador to the Philippines made clear that Germany is among the right-thinking nations:

“Such aggressive behaviour has no place in the South China Sea. The rules-based international maritime order, with the 2016 Arbitration Ruling as its center, must be respected.” Anke Reiffenstuel

Other right-thinking nations have formed alliances against bully Xi Jinping:

Quad, Five Eyes and AUKUS have brought together United States,  Australia, India, Japan, Canada and New Zealand.

Former President Duterte’s independent foreign policy admitted that ‘China is in possession of the South China Sea’ and allowed his friend Xi Jinping’s fleet to fish everywhere including in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone as far as the Chinese-claimed nine dash line reaches.

Present President Marcos’ foreign policy is also independent but neutral:

“The Philippines’ foreign policy remains neutral and the country is not siding with the United States, China or Russia.” He values Philippine-China relations. He graced a meeting with the Federation of Filipino- Chinese Chambers of Commerce und Industry. He considers China ‘a vital partner in peace and trade.’

But when it comes to the country’s security and territorial integrity he is adamant:

As the commander-in-chief he graces meetings with the army’s air force, navy and land forces. In 1979 Marcos had undergone a rigorous training to qualify as a Special Forces operator. He is a second lieutenant of that elite troop.

Recently appointed National Defence Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. does not mince words: “China should respect the rule of law and should earn the trust of Filipinos by complying with international law including the arbitral ruling declaring the nine-dash line null and void.”

President Marcos is partnering with other right-thinking nations on security. In first line the new U.S. Edca bases are strengthening the deterrence towards China. A Visiting Forces Agreement type partnership is being discussed with Japan. It will allow both countries to counter China’s incursions in the South- and East China Seas.

In 1922, President Marcos Jr. met with his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk-yeol to talk about enhancing bilateral ties particularly in the area of security.

Reaffirming the strong bilateral defense cooperation between the Philippines and Poland, Secretary Teodoro expressed his appreciation to Polish Charge d’affaires Jaroslaw Szczepankiewicz for the Sikorsky 70i Black Hawk helikopter project which is intended to boost the capability of the Philippine Air Force.

In my opinion these all are steps in the right direction. But urgently needed in order to deter Xi Jinping from his land-grabbing plans is the restauration of the South East Asia Treaty Organization. It was signed in 1954 in Manila by President Ramon Magsaysay and representatives of United States, France, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand and Pakistan as a military alliance to prevent communism from spreading. But in the 1970s several members lost interest in it and in 1977 it was dissolved.

At that time China was still weak. Two years after Mao’s death in 1976, Deng Xiaoping introduced market economy. It was the time when Jimmy Carter visited China. The slogan was: Wealth through trade.  Deng in a speech before the United Nations in 1974 warned against Chinese imperialism:

“If one day China should turn into a superpower, if she too should play the tyrant in the world and everywhere subject others to her bullying, aggression and exploitation, the peoples of the world should identify her as social imperialism, oppose it and work together with Chinese people to overthrow it.”

Now that day has come. Time for an expanded new version of SEATO including among many other right-thinking nations Germany, Japan, South Korea, Poland and the Philippines. In the Atlantic Pacific Treaty Organisation APATO an attack on one member were an attack on all. Bully Jinping’s Chinese Communist Party would be overthrown and the Chinese people together with the peoples of the world would prosper in peace.