China Trade Predated Philippine Colonizers

President Duterte's pivot to China as part of his more independent foreign policy is generally aimed at reviving centuries old trade relationship with the now second largest economy in the world. The Philippine-China trade connections in the past have flourished and waned, but when fully restored would greatly contribute in hastening the growth and maturity of the Philippine economy.

Trade contacts between Filipino and Chinese businessmen actually predated the arrival of Spanish colonizers in the Philippines. In a Philippine Studies prepared by Ateneo de Manila University, it was cited that these peoples traded as early as the 10th century. Early trading sites were traced not only at Paranaque in Metro Manila but also in such places as Calatagan in Batangas, Jolo in Sulu and in Pangasinan among others. Included in the traded products were porcelain, cloth, pearl, tools and other goods made of metals such as gold and iron. The trading activities flourished during the Tang Dynasty and lasted until the 14th century and the subsequent arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippine Archipelago. The golden age of Philippine-China trade indeed peaked during the Spanish colonization - for its having been a component of the Spanish Galleon Trade between Manila and Acapulco, Mexico.

China's role as a major trading partner of Filipinos slowly waned during the American colonization of the Philippines. During the period, Philippine industries were developed in order to meet American demand for goods such as sugar, tobacco, metal and wood products, grains and hemp among others. At the same time, the Filipinos were introduced by the Americans to western goods and products. The new arrangement ultimately resulted into the complete pivot of Philippine trade towards the West, which persisted until after the US granted independence to the Philippines.

Because of the Philippines' trade focus to the West, the opportunities presented by China's rise early in the 21st century as the world's second largest economy were neglected. For decades, the vast China market was largely unexploited by the Philippines, and, their bilateral trade lagged behind China's trade with other Southeast Asian countries. Duterte's rise to the Presidency this year finally recognized the necessity of distancing from the Philippine trade dependency to Western states in order to attain greater economic growth. While this move is suspected by some quarters as a sign of changing Philippine alliances, common sense dictates that Duterte is only opting for what is best for his country.

By looking back at the history of the country, the new Philippine leadership now sees a very promising route in charting a flourishing future. The road maybe paved with thorns, but Duterte believes it's better than one adorned with American roses that may lead to perdition. After all, if his Western Allies are sincere friends and would extend support, his chosen route could only broaden and strengthen all relationships and alliances.

American Geopolitics Rewrites Philippine History

The United States, as the world's most powerful country plays a major role in writing global history. This nation puts pressures on how world events are written, to favor its geopolitical aims and purposes supported by its vast infrastructures in media and communications, diplomatic clout, economic prowess, military might and other advantages. For instance, since the 1898 Treaty of Paris, the US has done a great deal in influencing how Philippines history was recorded.

It is more familiar that the Philippines became a US colony by virtue of the 1898 Treaty of Paris ending the Spanish-American War. But its just the icing on the cake. Truth is the Philippines became a US colony by conquest of the Filipinos by the Americans. Note that the Treaty of Paris was signed while the Philippine Revolution against Spain was ongoing where the former was winning. Very few are aware of the fact that the Americans were actually attracted by the commercial and future political values of the Philippine Islands, that after the Treaty of Paris, the US tricked General Emilio Aguinaldo into believing that the Americans are coming only as an end to Spanish-American War. In other words, the May 1, 1898 Battle of Manila Bay between the US and Spanish fleets was a prearranged quasi duel between the attacking Americans and withdrawing Spaniards to dupe the Filipino revolutionaries and let the Americans land in Manila. By later treachery that surprised the Filipinos, the Americans started the conquest of the Philippines and the subsequent Filipino-American War at Pinaglabanan Bridge that separated the Philippine revolutionaries from their American guests. From then, the Americans had to employ more double talks to appease the Filipinos, end the Fil-Am War, colonize and exploit the Philippines.

Fast forward to the present , American geopolitics is still blurring how Philippine events are presented to the world. Having been used to meddling in Philippine affairs, the US felt threatened when President Duterte announced the pursuit of a more independent foreign policy. To counter the evolving risks to US pivot to Asia, the Americans applied pressure to Duterte by condemning alleged human rights violations in his anti illegal drug campaigns. This meddling angered Duterte who retaliated by bad mouthing his critics and threatening his alliance with the US. Truly hurt, Duterte would not stop his tirades, but what is surprising now is how the US succeeds in slowly making it appear that the continuing spat arises from Duterte's stated intention to break alliance with the Americans, and not because of the US meddling with his anti illegal drug campaign!

The US next increased pressure to Duterte by threatening to cut military and developmental aids at which Duterte replied by daring the Americans to do as they wish. These days, what is being written is Duterte's being ungrateful to Western aids when in fact his anger is towards the US carrot and stick policy!


The list of twisted story telling of history will continue as long as the geopolitical agendas of powerful nations are served. When the smoke of the contention settles, falsehood may be written as truth and vice versa. But sometime, the story must end and the protagonists must either win or lose.
And perhaps,

US geopolitics must not underestimate in writing the Philippines and Duterte's history.

The US 'Carrot and Stick', Duterte and South China Sea

Since regaining independence after being a US colony, the Philippines has remained a dedicated US ally. The security alliance between the two countries endured through the Mutual Defense Treaty, a military partnership which evolved from their common undertakings in World War II. Securing independence from the US immediately after the war, however, was a Philippine dilemma. Its then capital Manila, which was the second most devastated city in the world during the war, needed massive reconstruction and the Philippines was left by America to fend for itself. The US instead focused its recovery assistance to its occupied Japan, and, freed the Philippines assured only of external security in their Mutual Defense Treaty. This plight forced the newly independent but weak former US colony to accede to the American carrot and stick.

Through the succeeding decades the country's economy, which was still primarily controlled by the Americans flourished, and was considered Asia's second best next only to Japan. At the same time, a succession of Philippine leaders failed to develop independent foreign policy and relied heavily on its allince with the US. The Philippines exploitation by the US and the latter's carrot and stick policy continuously weakened the country until the turn of the century. These must be done by the Americans in order to perpetrate their influences, which are necessary to promote their geopolitical interests. Consequently, the Philippines failed to mature as a truly independent state.

Then came Duterte, a wily tough talking Philippine President who was imbued with nationalist ideas never shown by his predecessors. Knowing that the Philippine maturity as a nation can be attained only thru a truly independent foreign policy, he assumed the Presidency as the South China Sea disputes worsened. As a lawyer, Duterte was very knowledgeable of the intricacies of the Philippine
issues with China, wherein his country's main concern was its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The turning point in the now uneasy US-Philippine relations came about when The Hague Arbitration Court ruled in favor of the Philippines. While aware that the United Nations could not enforce The Hague judgement against China, Duterte also knew that he can't use force, and, the only way to prod China to respect the award and at the same time maintain peace was through bilateral negotiation. This however is a process which the US disliked primarily because it preferred multi-lateral talks where as a party, it can raised freedom of navigation issues with China. To press her will, the US decided to deplore Duterte's domestic policy - primarily alleged human rights violations in the Philippines anti illegal drug campaigns - thinking perhaps that Duterte was guilty and could be cowed. This US censure of Duterte  became louder in public. Together with verbal condemnation from UN rapporteurs, American media and western allies, US President Obama warned Duterte about human rights issues just before the last ASEAN Summits. These did not sit well with the Philippines President who fumed at the apparent meddling and fought back with outbursts against Obama, the UN, US media and every US western ally that joined the fray. The verbal barrage from Duterte even got worse when the US tried to play carrot and stick again.

All along the exchange of arguments, Duterte made assurance that he would respect the Mutual Defense Treaty between the US and the Philippines, but declared his intention to develop closer economic relationship with both China and Russia. These were looked upon with distrust by the Americans because Duterte followed up his outburst with threat of ending his country's other military arrangements with America. The US and its western Allies countered with threats of developmental aid withdrawals which were belittled by Duterte, claiming at the same time that the Philippines can survive without such aids. He also declared that he only wanted respect from America and the west for the Philippines as an independent state.

The continuing feud will put Americas pivot to Asia in peril if the US miscalculates Duterte. Put simply, the truth is Duterte can be trusted as an ally for so long as the US forgets its carrot and stick policy towards the Philippines. America must instead show unconditional support for its former colony and give due

respect to the country's independence. All the noises and relationship anxieties will perhaps only disappear if the US and its Allies would face China over their freedom of navigation issues without using the Philippines as a proxy. The Philippines triumph at The Hague is hers alone and no other country must hitch a ride.