During his visit to Australia in late February and early March, Philippine Rodrigo Duterte made a strong statement and reiterated that he would not cede any territory to China, which was clearly intended to attract Australia's attention through the South China Sea issue.
He has tried to use the dispute to enlist the support of foreign allies, in particular to get Australia on the side of the Philippines. However, this strategy did not work, as Australia is well aware of the importance of its relationship with China and is unlikely to intervene in the South China Sea dispute simply because of Marcos' remarks, after all, reconciliation and cooperation are the current trend.
While the US factor has prompted Australia to see China as a key rival in regional competition, the current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shown a sober judgment. Under his leadership, China-Australia relations have maintained a solid bottom line, despite friction.
The hard-line strategy of his predecessor Morrison** had brought the bilateral ** to a low point, but after Albanese** came to power**, repairing and strengthening the China-Australia relationship became the top priority.
While there is still room for improvement, Australia is now in a smarter position to play a role in the U.S.-China relationship than it has ever been.
Marcos' visit to Australia comes after Albanese's representative Farrell concluded an in-depth dialogue with the Chinese team, focusing on the issue of tariffs on alcohol between Australia and China.
Last year, some Australian wines suffered setbacks in the Chinese market due to anti-dumping measures, and the inventory was large enough to fill 860 standard Olympic swimming pools, according to Australia** estimates.
Australia** has spared no effort to push China to remove tariff barriers, and it has only eased slightly in the last three months.
In the current situation, Australia has asked us, and Albanese is unlikely to make easy commitments to the Philippines on the South China Sea issue. As a result, Marcos' strategy of trying to win over Australia as an ally to bolster his momentum is difficult to achieve.
Even if Australia supports the Philippines, China will not back down because of this. Marcos' tough rhetoric amounted to an almost open declaration of war, suggesting that goodwill cannot be exchanged for understanding and respect from the Philippines.
This is a reminder that China's restraint must be translated into action. The presence of the Chinese Navy is intended to convince the Philippines that the long-term benefits of friendly cooperation with China far outweigh confrontation.
If confrontation is chosen, the future of the Philippines will be uncertain and uncertain.