President Marcos took office at a time of growing friction between the US and China — powers linked to the country’s security and economic interests. CNN PH looks at how he navigated this geopolitical rivalry and the steps that defined his foreign policy.
— The country's foreign policy had seen an apparent reset during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s first year in power, as he strengthened Philippine-US ties which his predecessor had weakened.
In a speech in January, Marcos maintained that his foreign policy is only guided by national interest. In his own words: “I don’t work for Beijing, I don’t work for Washington, D.C. I work for the Philippines.” There were already indications in the final year of Duterte’s term that Manila was again gradually bolstering cooperation with Washington after what was largely seen as a failed economic strategy of currying favor with China. But this revival of the alliance with the US became more pronounced when Marcos assumed office.
The Marcos administration, however, stated that strengthening US military presence in the country is just meant to boost the Philippines’ own defense capabilities, relief operations, and disaster response. “Alliance provides you deterrence. It would basically force China to think twice or thrice to use force against the Philippine Coast Guard, against the Philippine Navy, and the Philippine Air Force,” he said.Since winning the polls, Marcos has made pronouncements that raised expectations for a more hardline approach towards hostile behavior by China in the WPS, something critics said his predecessor failed to do.
This did not sit well with critics, including progressive groups which slammed Marcos’ willingness to resume negotiations with China on joint oil and gas exploration in the area. It is “enraging,” fisherfolk group Pamalakaya said, “that Marcos can comprehend entering a joint venture with a country that illegally occupies and plunders our territorial waters.”
“I cannot speak on the record on this...This is a very sensitive matter, ‘no? But we are in discussions,” he said on CNN Philippines’ special program Pangulong Marcos: Ang Unang Taon [President Marcos: The First Year]. “Siguro [Perhaps] that’s what I can say, because this is something that has been raised repeatedly.”
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