Balancing Act

Foreign policy is like human relations, only people know less about each other.    — United States president Joseph Robinette Biden

AMERICAN vaudeville actor William Penn Adair Roger once said, rather humorously but with some erudite advice, “diplomacy is the art of saying ‘nice doggie’ until you can find a rock.”
A funny quotation it may seem but in truth, diplomacy is a subtle driver in nurturing foreign relations that has a bearing on our geopoliticking policies, particularly with two global superpowers—the United States and the People’s Republic of China.

But the Philippines, though miniscule in size and of late considered the ‘sick man of Asia’, still has a vital role in the geopolitical scenario in the Asia-Pacific region so it’s no wonder why Chinese president Xi Jinping and his American counterpart Joe Biden were early well-wishers of newly-installed President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. whom both greeted and welcomed as afriend and ally not only with standard diplomatic courtesy but with enthusiasm to pave the initial step in advancing their competing interests.

Xi congratulated Marcos in a phone call to his Philippine counterpart on 11 May, two days after the national election.

“I attach great importance to the development of China-Philippines relations and am willing to establish a good working relationship (with Marcos),” Xi was quoted as saying by the Chinese Embassy in Manila.

In his turn, Biden told Marcos that “he looks forward to working with the president-elect to continue strengthening the US-Philippine alliance, while expanding bilateral cooperation on a wide range of issues, including the fight against Covid-19, addressing the climate crisis, promoting broad-based economic growth,
and respect for human rights,” according to the US Embassy in Manila.

Marcos said the following day that he had assured Biden that the Philippines “always held the United States in high regard as a friend, an ally, and a partner,” according to Agence France-Presse. He also invited him to his 30 June inauguration in Manila.

US allies delivered congratulatory messages to Marcos in the same tune as Washington. On 12 May, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Joanne Ou congratulated Marcos on his victory and said “that Taiwan is looking forward to working with the new administration to further strengthen cooperation.”

On the same day, European Union (EU) High Representative for foreign affairs and security policy Josep Borrell Fontelles tweeted, “The EU looks forward to working with the new administration to advance our relations and EU-ASEAN ties.”

China’s ally Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, did not took so long to greet Marcos unlike his congratulation to Biden which came more than a month after the US leader won the presidential election in November 2020.

“I expect that your activity as head of state will help further promote the constructive cooperation between Russia and the Philippines in various spheres,” Putin said in his telegram to Marcos on 12 May, according to state news agency Tass.

“This meets in full the interests of our nations and is in line with the endeavors to strengthen security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region,” Putin added.

Scott Morrison was still Australia’s prime minister when he relayed his congratulations to Marcos in a tweet on 13 May.

“Following the 75th anniversary of Australia-Philippines relations last year, we look forward to continuing to advance our long-standing friendship,” Morrison, who was beaten in his country’s election last 21 May and replaced by Anthony Albanese, said on Twitter.

“Israel will continue to work closely with the incoming administration of the Philippines to strengthen the friendly historic ties of our nations and to deepen the existing partnerships in agriculture, food security, water, tourism, innovation and technology, defense, among others,” Israel’s embassy in Manila said on 13 May.

“I look forward to close cooperation between our two new governments to further deepen our friendship and partnership,” South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is also the new leader of his country like Marcos, said in a letter addressed to the latter dated 15 May.

Reporting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s 15-minute phone call to Marcos on 20 May, Japan’s embassy in Manila said he “expressed his resolve to continue cooperation on the economic front such as infrastructure development including railways and Subic Bay development, as well as in the security and coast guard law enforcement fields, through the High Level Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation and the Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting, among others.”

Hinting of Tokyo’s foreign policy, Kishida also expressed his wish for future close coordination with Marcos for the realization of a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” a euphemism for countering China’s aggressive expansion of its notorious nine dash-line in the South China Sea and recruitment of allies in the Pacific Ocean through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad security alliance of the US, Australia, Japan and India.

“I told him that I would like to deepen the cooperation in a wide range of fields in the future and we agreed to work together to strengthen it,” Marcos said in a press statement.

“I hope not only to continue but to increase all of our engagements in every aspect of our relations,” Marcos added in a post in his official Twitter account.

Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa congratulated Vice President-elect Sara Duterte in Davao and “conveyed his hope for further deepening of the bilateral friendly relations,” according to the Japanese government.

When Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko, South Korean Ambassador Kim Inchul and US Chargé d’Affaires Heather Variava made a courtesy call to Marcos at his election campaign headquarters in Mandaluyong City last 23 May, India’s Ambassador Shambhu Kumaran was also present to relay Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings.

“India would like to work with the Philippines on capacity-building and capability development of the Philippine military,” Kumaran said in a press conference after the meeting.

Getting recognition from the top 11 economies of the world (based on World Data ranking) that are also ideologically divided was a resounding acknowledgment of the Filipinos’ choice for President Rodrigo Duterte’s successor. Even without a reported greeting from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, leader of the world’s fifth largest economy, a remark from his compatriot, Prince Charles, more than made up for the United Kingdom’s missing compliments.

The heir to the British throne was interacting with the public during his visit in Canada on 12 May when a Filipina identified herself from the crowd, Yahoo! News reported.

“I see you elected a new President. Bongbong,” the Prince said referring to Marcos’ nickname, according to Yahoo! News.

The woman replied, “Yes, sir. We love him. Bongbong Marcos,” to which Prince Charles said, “Wonderful name!” the report said.

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