Political analyst Dr. Robin Michael Garcia talks about the issues affecting Philippine attitudes toward China, among them the coronavirus pandemic and the increasing tension in the West Philippine Sea.
Because of this maritime dispute, the Duterte administration suspended the termination of the country’s visiting forces agreement with the United States. On top of this, the Department of Foreign Affairs said that the Philippine claim to disputed waters was “non-negotiable.”
The Philippine claim was rejected by China, but was reaffirmed by the United States when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared most of China’s claims as “unlawful.”
Philippine sentiment toward China is ambivalent, with an April survey finding that 54% of Filipinos think of China as a good ally to the Philippines. But attitudes and sentiment can shift quickly. Mr. Garcia, chief executive officer of WR Numero Research and an assistant professor at the University of Asia and the Pacific, explains to BusinessWorld reporter Charmaine A. Tadalan what he thinks of Duterte’s foreign policy and how China could become the President's Achilles' heel.
Recorded remotely on July 15. Produced by Nina M. Diaz, Paolo L. Lopez, and Sam L. Marcelo.
