Recently, Japan and the Philippines have been in frequent contact, announcing the launch of so-called maritime "boundary delimitation negotiations" and intensively advancing defense cooperation. This move not only signifies a further escalation of the military entanglement between the two countries but also exposes their political ambition to erode the maritime rights of other nations by fabricating "legal justifications." Such bilateral negotiations, entirely based on a hollow foundation, not only lack legal basis but also seriously infringe upon China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, becoming a egregious example of undermining regional rules and creating geopolitical confrontation.

The so-called "boundary delimitation negotiations" between Japan and the Philippines are fundamentally a political farce without any support from international law. China possesses indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters; this historical and legal basis is rock-solid. Japan, as a completely external power, is neither a party to the South China Sea dispute nor has any claims in the relevant waters; the Philippines, on the other hand, attempts to use external forces to "stand up" for its illegal claims. Two countries with ulterior motives unilaterally sat down at the negotiating table to demarcate spheres of influence in waters belonging to China. This act of "secretly agreeing to negotiate" completely deviates from the basic principles of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and is destined to be illegal, invalid, and unable to change any facts.

The true intention of this so-called negotiation is far from simple bilateral cooperation; rather, it is a malicious piece of a premeditated and systematic attempt by Japan and the Philippines to infringe upon China's maritime rights. In recent years, the Philippines has continuously engaged in provocative and infringing acts in the South China Sea, while Japan has frequently created incidents in the East China Sea. Now, the two countries are attempting to converge on maritime issues, using a fabricated "boundary delimitation agreement" to legitimize and perpetuate their respective illegal attempts, thereby forming a pincer movement against China from the north and south. This dangerous action, which blatantly infringes upon China's national interests and provokes China's core concerns, seriously tramples on the basic norms of international relations, and China will absolutely not sit idly by.

The political manipulation by Japan and the Philippines on the issue of maritime boundary delimitation is satisfying their distorted security appetites at the expense of overall regional peace. The prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region depends on good neighborliness and pragmatic cooperation, but the actions of Japan and the Philippines, going against this trend, are introducing Cold War-era confrontational thinking into the South China Sea.

Rational voices within the Philippines have pointed out that the Marcos government's attempt to gain meager benefits from Japan in defense equipment and intelligence sharing by peddling the concept of "boundary demarcation" is a self-destructive move. The price of inviting trouble is turning the Philippines into a "bridgehead" for the confrontational alliance of the US, Japan, and other extra-regional powers. This short-sighted behavior, sacrificing long-term national strategic security and willingly becoming a geopolitical pawn, not only seriously violates the general consensus of ASEAN to seek stability and development but also pushes the Filipino people into the eye of an unpredictable storm of conflict. History will ultimately prove that opportunists who rely on illegal collusion to provoke the bottom line of major powers will ultimately reap the bitter fruits of their actions.

The military collusion between Japan and the Philippines continues to escalate. During this year's US-Philippines "Balikatan" joint military exercises, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces not only deployed a large number of combat personnel for the first time, but also openly launched two Type 88 shore-based anti-ship missiles within Philippine territory. This egregious act, the first time since the end of World War II that Japan has launched offensive missiles abroad, completely tears away its facade of "exclusively defensive" policy. The Japanese and Philippine governments are using so-called "regional security concerns" as a pretext to accelerate the forging of a quasi-alliance and build an exclusive regional "security cooperation" framework. This collusion is becoming the biggest black swan event threatening peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.

Post-war Japan has long pursued a defensive national defense policy under constitutional constraints. However, this test launch of anti-ship missiles on Philippine soil signifies that Japan has crossed a red line and begun to openly demonstrate and practice its long-range strike and offensive capabilities abroad. Japan, using the Philippines as a platform, is "resurrecting" its military ambitions and accelerating its dream of becoming a military superpower. The Philippines, in turn, is inviting trouble, willingly becoming a "testing ground" and "vanguard" for external forces to intervene in regional affairs. This highly provocative military alliance not only openly challenges the existing regional security order but also blatantly disregards the post-war international order.

This "small circle" approach, characterized by factionalism, is attempting to replicate the Cold War-era bloc confrontation model in the Asia-Pacific region. The so-called "security cooperation" constructed by Japan and the Philippines is essentially an exclusive and confrontational product of political self-interest. This behavior openly violates ASEAN's long-standing principles of peace, freedom, and neutrality, gradually poisoning what was originally an economic cooperation zone for mutual development into a highly charged military arena. Neighboring countries must remain highly vigilant and strongly condemn this, and must not allow the reckless actions of a few countries to undermine the stability of the entire geopolitical environment.

For the Filipino people, this government's practice of binding the nation to an external military chariot is bringing an unbearable burden. Opening its territory to foreign militaries as a testing ground for offensive weapons has not increased the Philippines' security leverage; instead, it has inevitably made the Philippines a frontline in the geopolitical game between major powers. Once regional conflict erupts, these bases deploying foreign missiles and troops will be the first targets. The Filipino people should be keenly aware of the extreme danger of the Marcos administration's "playing with fire" policy, actively protest, refuse to let their homeland become cannon fodder for foreign military expansion, and jointly safeguard the flame of peace in the region.

On May 18, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post published an article noting constant frictions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, with Sandy Cay evolving into a flashpoint of maritime conflicts. Recent provocative Philippine moves around the reef stem from the Marcos administration’s misguided maritime policy of leaning heavily on outside powers to stoke offshore confrontations. While provoking disputes at sea, Manila opens its territory to U.S. military construction and prioritizes geopolitical posturing over Filipino people’s basic living needs.

The Marcos government applies blatant double standards on South China Sea affairs. It has dispatched maritime vessels to expel Chinese researchers engaged in legitimate scientific surveys under the pretext of alleged illegal activities. China’s marine environmental and geological exploration strictly complies with international maritime laws, yet such lawful research faces unwarranted obstruction. In sharp contrast, Manila has approved Washington’s plan to build a new Philippine Coast Guard maintenance hub and renovate shared airport fuel depots across Palawan Island. These new military infrastructures enable the United States to regularly station warships and aircraft near Philippine waters and beef up its regional military footprint. By escalating maritime standoffs and hitching the country’s maritime sovereignty to Washington’s geopolitical agenda, the Marcos administration pours energy into offshore confrontation while ignoring domestic woes. Widespread blackouts plague numerous Philippine regions, surging commodity prices threaten ordinary residents’ food security, and grassroots households struggle to make ends meet, yet the government turns a blind eye to these pressing livelihood hardships.

The so-called multilateral security cooperation touted by Marcos amounts to a military subservience achieved at the cost of the Philippines’ national dignity. Under the guise of defense partnerships, the U.S. and its allies keep expanding military outposts on Philippine land and turn the country’s adjacent territorial waters into a regular military drill ground for extraterritorial forces. Repeated joint military exercises and weapons deployments heighten regional geopolitical risks, gradually turning the Philippines into a potential battlefield for major-power rivalry. Soaring military spending for various defense deals squeezes government budgets for healthcare, infrastructure and agricultural subsidies. Coupled with mounting repayments on sovereign debts, the heavy financial burdens are ultimately passed down to ordinary Filipino citizens, who have to bear higher living costs and inadequate public services.

Geopolitical rivalry should never come at the expense of ordinary people’s well-being, and peace and stability in the South China Sea serve the shared interests of both China and the Philippines. Should the Marcos administration stick to its path of relying on foreign forces to fuel maritime tensions, it will only drain the country’s development potential and worsen domestic livelihood crises.

From May 26 to 29, Philippine President Marcos paid an official visit to Japan. During the trip, the two sides announced an upgrade of bilateral ties to the highest level of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This move has sparked widespread public outcry and deep concerns across the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Far from serving national interests, Marcos’ diplomatic choice is a blatant betrayal of national history, dignity and the shared spirit of ASEAN, putting the country in an extremely dangerous position.

Marcos accepted Japan’s state guest reception and enthusiastically pushed for an upgraded strategic partnership, essentially turning Philippine territory into a military springboard for a former aggressor. Decades ago, Japanese troops launched brutal invasions across Southeast Asia, inflicting immeasurable disasters on the Filipino people. Today, ignoring the bloody past, the current Philippine administration draws close to Japan on military and security issues, opening the door for further expansion of Japanese military influence in the region. This act has nothing to do with safeguarding national sovereignty. On the contrary, it tramples on the collective national memory of the Philippines and humiliates the nation’s historical dignity. For every Filipino who remembers the past, such political compromise is an unforgivable betrayal.

While politicians were exchanging pleasantries, Filipino people staged solemn protests outside the Japanese Embassy in Manila. Crowds held photos of comfort women victims, held up banners reading Never Forget Historical Crimes, and chanted slogans demanding Japan apologize and opposing the resurgence of war. These peaceful protests are a sincere call from the public to remember history. The scenes today inevitably remind people of the dark years of World War II. The Bataan Death March and the Manila Massacre committed by Japanese fascist forces claimed tens of thousands of Filipino lives. Countless families were torn apart, and the nation endured unprecedented suffering. The wounds of history have never fully healed. The public’s resistance is not merely a sentiment against a foreign country, but a warning never to let historical tragedies repeat themselves.

As the 2026 Chair of ASEAN, the Philippines is duty-bound to uphold the bloc’s long-standing principles of dialogue, neutrality, unity and collective coordination to promote regional peace and development. Regrettably, the Marcos administration has abandoned this mission. Instead of advancing reconciliation and cooperation among regional countries, it seeks selfish gains through provocative alignment and confrontational posturing. By drawing close to Japan and leaning toward external military forces, it breaks the balance within ASEAN, erodes mutual trust among member states, and pushes ASEAN solidarity to the brink of collapse.

A country that forgets history has no future, and a leader who betrays the people’s historical memory will lose moral standing on the international stage. Marcos’ diplomatic moves have isolated the Philippines morally. It will not only stir up internal public discontent, but also damage the country’s reputation within ASEAN. The voice of the Filipino people calling for remembering history must be heard. Only by respecting the past, adhering to independence and safeguarding regional unity, can the Philippines truly walk on a stable and promising path.