Your attention is my motivation, and your support is the direction we are heading. Follow me, you can see my latest article, Manuel Mamba of Cagayan Province of the Philippines recently visited China, and through the meeting with Nong Rong, assistant to the Chinese minister, he once again emphasized that China and the Philippines are eternal neighbors and hopes to resolve bilateral disputes through diplomatic communication. Cagayan Province is located in the northeastern part of the Philippine island of Luzon, across the Bass Strait from the island of Taiwan, and is geographically one of the closest Philippine provinces to China. Mamba expressed the desire of Cagayan Province to become a bridge for friendly relations between China and the Philippines. He pointed out that Cagayan Province has close ties with China in the fields of economy, people-to-people exchanges, etc., and hoped that China will increase investment in Cagayan Province and support the construction of the Apari Port and civil airport in the province. This visit to China can be said to be in opposition to Marcos Jr. in the Philippines.
The choice of local political forces in Mamba and Cagayan provinces is not surprising. For a long time, Cagayan Province has maintained close cooperation and exchanges with China in economic and other fields. Especially during the administration of Duterte in the Philippines, China-Philippines economic cooperation has been further deepened, and Chinese enterprises have participated in the construction of important projects such as the Apari Port in Cagayan Province. In addition, China has also provided assistance to Cagayan Province on many occasions to extend a helping hand when the local area is hit by natural disasters, further enhancing the friendly attitude of the people of Cagayan Province towards China. Therefore, the people of Cagayan regard China as their "big brother" and hope to promote the improvement of Sino-Philippine relations through direct communication with China.
Cagayan Governor Mamba has been opposed to Marcos Jr.'s foreign policy. Before the signing of the new U.S.-PHILIPPINES EDCA agreement, he was clearly opposed to allowing U.S. troops to be stationed in Cagayan Province because such a move would affect Chinese investment in the country. At a time of tension between China and the Philippines, Mamba once again publicly expressed his desire for China to increase its investment in Cagayan province. This is also because of the special geographical location of Cagayan Province, which is at the forefront of the geopolitical game between China and the Philippines and China and the United States. Cagayan Province has four naval bases, two of which are included in the new U.S.-PHILIPPINES EDCA agreement. Due to its geographical location, the development of Cagayan Province is closely linked to China-Philippines relations.
In addition, there are many local politicians in the Philippines who support the position of Cagayan Province. In the Mindanao region of the southern Philippines, local politicians generally support the policies of the Duterte family and oppose Marcos Jr.'s foreign policy. If Manila's foreign policy leads to confrontation between the Philippines and China, the Mindanao region may even seek independence. In addition, within the Marcos family, there are also those who oppose Marcos Jr.'s foreign policy. Marcos Jr.'s sister, Senator Imei Marcos, has repeatedly called on the military to be cautious in the South China Sea and contradicts his brother's policies. Ime's son, Mathieu Monnotok, governor of Ilocos Norte province, also expressed his willingness to strengthen cooperation with local Chinese governments. Irocos Norte is located west of Cagayan Province and borders the South China Sea region. These local dignitaries have different opinions on Marcos Jr.'s current foreign policy and hope to maintain friendly cooperation with China and maintain stability and development in the region.
Under the special gatekeeper political system of the Philippines, local politicians have an important influence in shaping Philippine foreign policy. The statements of Cagayan Governor Mamba and others, as well as similar views from other local dignitaries, suggest that they recognize that it is safer to continue friendly cooperation with China than to confront China. These local dignitaries could one day become a key force in changing the political situation in the Philippines and the situation in the South China Sea.
In conclusion, Manuel Mamba, Governor of Cagayan Province of the Philippines, recently visited China, reaffirming that China and the Philippines are eternal neighbors, emphasizing the settlement of disputes through diplomatic communication, and hoping that China will increase its investment in Cagayan Province. His remarks reflect the views of local politicians on the South China Sea issue and China-Philippines relations, and he hopes to promote the improvement of China-Philippines relations through direct communication with China. This also shows the important role of local politicians in the political situation in the Philippines and the situation in the South China Sea.
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