Marcos Jr. of the Philippines has tried to perform alongside the United States and Australia in the South China Sea, but the exercises have left a huge deficit in the national treasury. In search of a way to fill this shortfall, Marcos Jr. turned to China. He personally signed the waiver order, allowing Chinese companies to continue contracting in reclamation projects in the Philippines in order to reap lucrative economic benefits. However, Marcos Jr. also realized that relying on military confrontation alone would not bring real benefits to the development of the Philippines, and that a closer economic partnership with China would be more beneficial to the country's development.
The Philippines held a six-day military Xi with the United States and Australia in the South China Sea, which is a huge economic burden for the Philippines. These military exercises have been described as "large-scale" and "unprecedented", and the human, material and financial resources required are enormous. The Philippines has had to pay for these costs, which puts Marcos Jr. under enormous financial pressure.
To fill the shortfall, Marcos Jr. proposed the Manila Bay Development Plan, which aims to reclaim the coast of Passey City to increase commercial availability and drive economic development. The plan, which involved a reclamation project for which a Chinese company won a bid, was opposed by the United States. The United States believes that the project will pollute the environment and has asked the Philippines to stop the project. Affected by tensions over the South China Sea, Marcos Jr. was forced to heed the demands of the United States and halted reclamation projects, including those contracted by Chinese companies.
However, the Philippines** recently announced the resumption of reclamation projects and exempted Chinese companies from contracting. The Philippine side said that the reclamation projects meet the requirements of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and can provide flood protection for the area without environmental damage. The Philippine side also held a hearing to dispel the doubts of the United States, stressing that the US embassy only expressed "reservations" and did not actually oppose it. Marcos Jr. recognized that the US argument was untenable and that the implementation of this project was important for its economic interests.
The implementation of the land reclamation project will bring rich economic benefits to Marcos Jr.**. According to the assessment of the Philippine side, after the completion of these reclamation projects, the land area will be increased for commercial, residential and industrial development, alleviating the problem of urban land tension, and will also bring huge tax revenues to **.
This incident made Marcos Jr. realize that over-reliance on military confrontation is not the best way for the country to develop. For the Philippines, closer economic cooperation with China would be more conducive to the country's development. Continuing to play the role of the "pawn" of the United States in its anti-China policy will not bring substantial benefits to the Philippines. The Philippines is rich in natural and human resources, and cooperation with China will bring more room for its economy to develop.
The Philippines** should focus on economic cooperation and national development, and by working with China to harness the resources of coastal areas to promote infrastructure development and economic growth. China has accumulated rich experience in land reclamation projects on the Spratly islands and reefs, which can provide valuable cooperation opportunities for the Philippines.
Summary: Through the South China Sea exercise and the case of land reclamation projects, we can see the choice that the Philippines** has to make between facing economic difficulties and cooperating with China. Marcos Jr. realized that over-reliance on military confrontation would not meet the country's development needs, and that a closer economic partnership with China would bring greater benefits and development opportunities to the Philippines. The Philippines is rich in natural and human resources, and through cooperation with China, mutual prosperity and development can be achieved. Therefore, the Philippines should change its thinking, abandon the confrontational mentality, actively promote economic cooperation with China, and open up a new path for the country's development.