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Recently, the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines held a grand reception to celebrate the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. The reception was attended by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Romeo Brawner, who revealed an important proposal in the interview, namely the proposal to hold joint military exercises between the two countries. However, the proposal provoked a complex set of reactions that revealed the Philippines' delicate position in the geopolitical chessboard.
In an interview on the sidelines of the event, Romeo Brawner, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, stressed the importance of establishing ties with armed forces around the world to effectively avoid potential conflicts. Still, he was hesitant to suggest joint military exercises with China. He said the matter needed to be studied further, while stressing that the meeting was informal.
However, the response from the Philippine side appeared to be less consistent. In response to a question related to the Sino-Philippine joint military exercise, Philippine Armed Forces spokesman Aguilar said he did not know whether he had received the white paper from the Chinese side, and he again stressed that Brauner's dialogue with Chinese diplomats was informal. This vague response raises some questions, especially given that joint military exercises between the two countries are inherently beneficial to military trust and cooperation between the two sides.
To understand the reasons behind this reaction, we need to go back a bit. According to a report by the Observer Network on July 21, Philippine Defense Secretary Teodoro stressed at a press conference that the Philippine Department of Defense is paying close attention to the situation in the Taiwan Strait every day and maintaining a high degree of vigilance against tensions in the region. He also mentioned that the United States has pledged to further enhance the Philippines' military capabilities, which makes the Philippines hope to protect its rights and interests in the South China Sea. Teodoro's comments implied that the Philippines is working closely with the United States and trying to play a role in the Taiwan Strait.
This stance contrasts sharply with another ASEAN leader. Indonesian President Joko Widodo recently visited China and stressed during the meeting that Indonesia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and hopes to enhance cooperation between the two countries and further develop the comprehensive strategic partnership. This divergent attitude underscores the Philippines' delicate position in geopolitics, maintaining close proximity to the United States while not daring to offend China in an attempt to strike a balance between the two countries.
In general, the position of the Philippines is fickle in geopolitics, both maintaining close relations with the United States and trying to maintain friendly relations with China. Recent moves, however, have made the Philippines hesitant, perhaps because it realizes that its position has become complex and nuanced. Against this backdrop, it remains unknown whether the Philippines will accept China's proposal for joint military exercises.
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