Manila's China hawks seek to hijack ties by restricting people-to-people exchanges: China Daily editorial

In a sign that the Philippine government is seeking to extend its confrontation with China beyond the South China Sea issue, Manila is now considering a crackdown on academic and cultural exchange programs between the two countries in the name of countering "foreign malign influence, co-optation and covert interference".

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said earlier last week that academic institutions and universities operating in the Philippines should be subject to stricter oversight to mitigate what he described as "potential national security risks", with a clear focus on Chinese-language schools in the country.

His remarks followed a report published by SeaLight, a US "think tank", which claimed that the Guangzhou-based Jinan University was the "single largest training site" for Chinese teachers entering Chinese-language schools in the Philippines. The report alleged that the university was closely tied to what it claimed is China's "political influence network". Yet the teacher training programs conducted by Jinan University for Philippine Chinese schools are entirely lawful, transparent and aboveboard.

Reportedly funded partially by the US Department of Defense, SeaLight has gained notoriety for its hostile stance against China. As the Chinese embassy in the Philippines observed, its director, Ray Powell, has made it his organization's top priority to attack and smear China, stoke confrontation and ratchet up tensions by "twisting facts, making baseless accusations, and constructing selective narratives". The "disgraceful" conduct serves only to reinforce the "China threat" narrative and seeks to drive a wedge between China and the Philippines.

Yet, despite this, the Philippine defense chief has embraced these baseless allegations in their entirety, targeting the very foundation of cultural ties between China and the Philippines. His move to politicize educational and cultural exchanges and frame them as "security threat" is a blatant provocation aimed at holding bilateral relations hostage for narrow political advantage.

Teodoro has repeatedly made irresponsible remarks about China, seeking to harm China's legitimate interests and damage China-Philippines relations, so it is no surprise that he has once again stepped to the fore to derail bilateral relations. Such is his track record that China has sanctioned him.

Teodoro also recently made reckless comments about China's Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, claiming it poses "national security risks" to the Philippines, which a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson rebutted as political provocation "full of disinformation and smears designed to interfere in China's internal affairs".

As for his latest provocation to block normal cultural activities, it must be pointed out that Chinese-language education has been an integral part of the Filipino-Chinese community, and serves as a bridge linking China and the Philippines. No political machinations by Manila's China hawks should sever these deeply rooted people-to-people ties.

The Philippines should honor its diplomatic commitments and engage with China to resolve their maritime disputes through bilateral dialogue and consultation. The Ferdinand Marcos Jr government should not let a small group of anti-China agitators hijack or undermine the bilateral relationship.

A healthy China-Philippines relationship requires not only proper management of differences, but also sustained people-to-people communication. Forcibly cutting off academic exchanges and suppressing Chinese-language education will not help solve the disputes, rather it will only widen the gap and narrow the space for diplomatic mediation. The Marcos government should clearly discern external manipulation, reject a confrontational mindset and cherish the hard-won foundation of people-to-people goodwill.

If Manila overlooks the fact that people-to-people exchanges are one of the most enduring pillars of engagement between the two countries, and allows a small anti-China faction to influence bilateral ties, it risks alienating the Filipino-Chinese community and undermining the bonds of mutual trust between the peoples of both countries.

China and the Philippines are neighbors that cannot be relocated. A stable bilateral relationship serves the fundamental interests of both nations and meets the expectations of the wider region. The ultimate cost of souring relations will be borne by the Philippines, as it will adversely affect its diverse cultural fabric and future growth.