Recently, the United States and the Philippines conducted joint military patrols in the South China Sea, which aroused strong opposition from China, and the situation in the South China Sea has fallen into a tense confrontation. However, this external pressure has not united the political forces within the Philippines, on the contrary, the contradictions between the two giants of the Philippines - the Marcos family and the Duterte family have intensified, and there has even been a crisis of internal strife. These two families represent the Philippines' ** and pro-China lines, respectively, and their conflict not only affects the domestic stability of the Philippines, but also affects the interests of China and the United States.
The ambitions of the Marcos family: to try to challenge Duterte's authority
The Marcos family is a legend in the Philippines, and their family members have held important positions such as **, deputy**, and senator, and their influence has spread throughout the country. The leader of the Marcos family is the former ** Ferdinand Marcos, who once imposed martial law in 1972 and ruled the Philippines for 14 years, during which he was accused of abuse of power, corruption, human rights violations and other crimes, and was finally overthrown by the People Power Revolution in 1986 and went into exile in the United States. Marcos' wife, Imelda Marcos, is also a well-known political figure, known for her extravagant lifestyle and collection of thousands of pairs of shoes. Marcos' son, Ferdinand Marcos II, also known as Marcos Jr., is the current deputy of the Philippines, who became Duterte's deputy by narrowly defeating Duterte's daughter Sara Duterte in 2022. Marcos' daughter, Imi Marcos, is a member of the Philippine Senate and a prominent representative of the Marcos family.
The Marcos family has always been a political force, they have deep historical and interest ties with the United States, and they are also important supporters of the United States in the Philippines. The Marcos family's goal is to restore their dominance in the Philippines, and to do so, they have teamed up with the Duterte family to form a seemingly powerful alliance. However, this alliance is not stable, because the Marcos family is not content to be Duterte's vassals, and they have tried to weaken Duterte's authority through various means, and even provoked internal confrontation.
Recently, a shocking news broke in the Philippines**, Marcos asked Duterte to come forward on the current domestic situation, otherwise he will no longer support Duterte's policies. Marcos reasoned that rumors that some Filipino military personnel were being "instigated" by agitators and that there were signs of instability within the military that could trigger a coup d'état. This move by Marcos is considered a threat to Duterte and a danger to the Philippines. Some analysts believe that Marcos is using the South China Sea issue to create panic in an attempt to force Duterte to comply, or take the opportunity to seize power.
The Duterte family's counterattack: adhere to the pro-China line and safeguard national interests
The Duterte family is a rising star in the Philippines, and their family members are mainly active in Davao City in the south, and their leader is the incumbent Rodrigo Duterte, who has landslidedly defeated other candidates in 2022 to become the new leader of the Philippines. Duterte's daughter, Sara Duterte, is the mayor of Davao City, and she competed with Marcos Jr. for the deputy position in 2022, and although she eventually lost, she still gained a high approval rating. Duterte's son, Paul Duterte, is a member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a prominent representative of the Duterte family.
The Duterte family is a pro-China political force that enjoys good friendship and cooperation with China, and they are also important partners of China in the Philippines. Since Duterte came to power, he has vigorously promoted the development of China-Philippines relations and signed a series of cooperation agreements with China in the fields of economy and trade, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, education, and culture, which have brought huge benefits to the economic and social development of the Philippines. Duterte has also adopted a flexible attitude on the South China Sea issue, resolving disputes with China through dialogue and consultation, avoiding conflict with China and safeguarding the sovereignty and dignity of the Philippines.
The Duterte family is not afraid of the Marcos family's provocations, and they resolutely countered Marcos's slander and threats, saying that the Philippine military is loyal to the country and the people, and will not be subject to any external interference and influence, nor will it participate in any political conspiracy. They also pointed out that the Marcos family is using the South China Sea issue to undermine China-Philippines relations and serve the interests of the United States, which is a betrayal of the Philippines and a provocation to China. They called on the Filipino people to unite and support Duterte's leadership, adhere to the pro-China line, and safeguard national interests.
The U.S.-China Game in the South China Sea Storm: A Reflection of the Confrontation of Interests in the Philippines. The South China Sea is where China's core interests lie, and China resolutely upholds its sovereignty, rights and interests in the South China Sea, and will not tolerate any external interference or provocation. The United States, on the other hand, is trying to create trouble in the South China Sea, undermine China-Philippines relations, and enlist the Philippines as its ally to contain China's development. The game between the two countries in the South China Sea has also affected the internal political pattern of the Philippines, and the Marcos family and the Duterte family's ** and pro-China line are the ** people of the two countries in the Philippines.
Recently, the U.S. provocation in the South China Sea reached a new climax, with the U.S. Navy sending two aircraft carrier battle groups to conduct joint military patrols with the Philippine Navy, the first time the United States and the Philippines have conducted such operations in the South China Sea since 2016. The United States claims that this is to maintain freedom of navigation and international law in the South China Sea, but in fact, it is a provocation and threat to China and a desire to create tension and instability in the South China Sea. China expressed strong dissatisfaction and opposition to this, and the spokesperson of China said that China urges the United States to respect China's sovereignty and security, stop military provocations in the South China Sea, refrain from sowing discord in the South China Sea issue, and refrain from interfering with and undermining the development of China-Philippines relations.
The U.S. military action in the South China Sea has also provoked different reactions within the Philippines, with the Marcos family and the Duterte family taking very different attitudes. The Marcos family expressed support and welcome for the U.S. action, which they believe is a manifestation of U.S. security and friendship with the Philippines, as well as a counterbalance and warning to China. They also called on Duterte to strengthen cooperation with the United States, defend the Philippines' claims in the South China Sea, and refrain from compromising and yielding to China. The Duterte family has expressed condemnation and concern about the US action, which they believe is the US provoking incidents in the South China Sea, undermining China-Philippines relations and jeopardizing the interests and peace of the Philippines. They also called on Marcos to stop colluding with the United States, respect the independence and sovereignty of the Philippines, and not become a lackey and pawn of the United States.
The choice of public opinion: The pro-China line is more supported and welcomed by the Filipino people
The conflict between the two giants of the Philippines also reflects the different attitudes and choices of the Filipino people towards the pro-China line. According to the latest polls, the Duterte family's support is much higher than that of the Marcos family, which shows that the Filipino people are more inclined to support the pro-China line than the ** line. This is because the pro-China line has brought tangible benefits to the Philippines, while the ** line has brought endless troubles and crises to the Philippines.
The advantages of the pro-China line are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Economic: The economic and trade cooperation between China and the Philippines has provided a strong impetus and support for the economic development of the Philippines, China has become the largest partner and largest investor in the Philippines, and China has also provided a large number of preferential loans and assistance to the Philippines, helping the Philippines to build a number of important infrastructure projects, such as railways, bridges, ports, airports, power stations, etc., these projects have greatly improved the Philippines' transportation, energy, communications and other conditions, and improved the Philippines' production efficiency and living standards. China also actively supports the Philippines' participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, which has opened up a broader market and opportunities for the Philippines and promoted the process of regional integration and globalization in the Philippines.
China is the first country to provide anti-epidemic materials and medical assistance to the Philippines, and China has also donated millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines, providing important support for the Philippines' vaccination program. China has also established a China-Philippines Friendship Hospital in the Philippines, which has provided long-term services and contributions to the medical and health undertakings of the Philippines.
Cultural aspects: the cultural exchanges between China and the Philippines have provided rich resources and inspiration for the cultural development of the Philippines, China and the Philippines have deep historical roots and cultural affinities, there are extensive exchanges and cooperation between the two peoples, China has established a number of Confucius Institutes and Chinese teaching centers in the Philippines, providing support and help for Chinese education in the Philippines, China has also held various cultural activities and festivals in the Philippines, such as Chinese Film Festival, Chinese Food Festival, Chinese New Year celebrations, among others, add color and charm to the cultural diversity and vibrancy of the Philippines.