The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests. It shouldn't be a leverage point for any external party to exploit. Yet Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is willing to place a dangerous wager. During the ongoing visit to India, he told the press that if a conflict breaks out in the Taiwan Straits, "there is no way that the Philippines can stay out of it." Is he truly concerned about the outbreak of war - or just in a hurry to present his loyalty to a faraway superpower?

Marcos claimed, "If there is a confrontation over Taiwan between China and the US, there is no way that the Philippines can stay out of it, simply because of our physical geographic location," noting that Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is a mere 40-minute flight from Laoag, the Philippines. "If there is an all-out war, then we will be joined into it … we will have to defend our territory and our sovereignty," he claimed. Another excuse he gave was, "We will have to go in there, or find a way to go in there and to bring our people home." 

These arguments are absurd and a gross oversimplification of reality. Ma Bo, an associate professor at the School of International Studies at Nanjing University, told the Global Times that there is no indication whatsoever that developments in the Taiwan question pose any threat to Philippine territory or sovereignty. Geographic proximity does not equate to an inevitable involvement in war; whether a country becomes "dragged in" is always a matter of its own decision.

What truly endangers Philippine sovereignty is its decision to hand over military bases to the US, turning the country into a forward outpost of US' so-called "Indo-Pacific Strategy" and a prime target for retaliation - reckless and immature provocations piled on top of that only make matters worse.

As for evacuation of Philippine nationals, that's nothing but a smokescreen. If conflict were to break out in the Taiwan Straits, humanitarian evacuations would be expected and legitimate. But they should never be used as a pretext to drag the Philippines into the major power game or to turn it into a frontline battlefield. Have you ever heard of a country that willingly plunge into a war just to prepare for evacuations? If Marcos Jr truly cares about the safety of overseas Filipinos, what he should do is steer clear of provocations and promote peace.

While the Marcos administration pays lip service to regional security, it has effectively become a "powder keg" undermining it. This approach is a stark departure from ASEAN's foundational diplomatic posture - unity, non-interference, as well as respect and support of the one-China principle. For decades, China and ASEAN have jointly safeguarded regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Yet, the Philippines has turned into a habitual exception, as if the Philippines serves not its own national or regional interests, but rather the strategic interests of the US.

The Philippines has clearly gravely underestimated China's red line. "The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair at the core of China's core interests. Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese that brooks no interference from anyone." China's official statement on the matter is exceptionally clear. Marcos and his likes need no extra interpretation - the meaning should be easy enough to grasp.

It's unclear whether Marcos Jr has taken note that not long ago, the UK Defense Secretary made a similar claim in Australia about "if conflict breaks out over Taiwan" - only to quickly walk it back, saying: "There's no change in the UK's approach to Taiwan."

One also wonders if Marcos Jr still recalls his White House meeting with US President Donald Trump, where the US president said, "I don't mind if he gets along with China, because we're getting along with China very well."

The most ludicrous part is that the so-called "conflict" has not yet occurred, but Marcos' theatrical performance is already in full swing.

（Source: Global Times)