The US' reported move to tighten export controls on semiconductors targeting China by taking stricter measures to pressure companies in countries such as Japan and the Netherlands severely deviates from the principles of free trade and multilateral trade rules and severely impacts the stability of global industrial and supply chains, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Friday, in the latest remarks over US export controls targeting China.
The US attempt to push for "decoupling" with China will only drive Chinese companies to enhance their innovation capabilities and seek broader cooperation beyond the US, leaving American companies to bear the consequences of not being part of the vast and booming Chinese market, one Chinese expert said.
The Biden administration, facing pushback to its chip crackdown on China, has told allies that it's considering using the most severe trade restrictions available if companies such as Tokyo Electron Ltd. and ASML Holding NV continue giving the country access to advanced semiconductor technology, a report published by Bloomberg claimed.
Seeking leverage with allies, the US is mulling whether to impose a measure called the foreign direct product rule, or FDPR, the report said, citing people familiar with recent discussions.
The semiconductor industry is highly globalized. After decades of development, it has formed an interconnected industrial pattern as a result of market forces and choices of businesses, the MOFCOM spokesperson said on Friday, responding to recent US reports on the matter.
For some time now, the US has frequently overstretched the concept of national security, abused export control measures, and wantonly interfered in the normal economic and trade exchanges between companies in other countries, the spokesperson said.
"This move severely deviates from the principles of free trade and multilateral trade rules and severely impacts the stability of global industrial and supply chains," the spokesperson said, noting that China has consistently and firmly opposed this.
The rapid development of the semiconductor industry today is the result of global cooperation, not separation, and it is not something the US can achieve alone, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow from the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Friday.
The US is abusing its hegemony by attempting to impose stricter controls on a wider range of chip exports, a move that will backfire on foreign companies "being held hostage" by cutting them off from the large Chinese chip market, Zhou noted.
In January, ASML warned that US export controls would affect its sales in China by 10-15 percent in 2024 while announcing better-than-expected results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023.
The Dutch company has been caught in the broader technology battle between the US and China. Exports of NXT:2050i and NXT:2100i lithography systems in 2023 to China were both affected.
"However, such attempts by the US may ultimately fail and instead push Chinese companies to strengthen their innovation capabilities and open their arms wider for global cooperation, while leaving the US not being able to fully take part in the vast and booming Chinese market," Zhou said.
The MOFCOM spokesperson added that "We hope that relevant countries will adhere to market principles and the spirit of contracts, resist US economic coercion, and work together to maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains."
Innovation is the hallmark of China's economy and a powerful driver of global economic growth, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Thursday. The Ministry credited Chinese firms' rapid AI innovation to proactive engagement in international innovation cooperation, and expressed firm opposition against the "decoupling" attempt and malicious competition.
During the World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2024 (WAIC 2024), Chinese AI firms have showcased a flurry of large language model application scenarios, including generating high-definition videos, identifying farmland plots and crop distributions, and analyzing image and text data, said Lin Jian, the MFA spokesperson.
The WAIC 2024 has revealed the potential of innovative technologies to empower various industries.
Manufacturing and technologies powered by Chinese innovation are not only meeting domestic demands but also enriching global market supply, contributing to the green transformation of the global economy and the development of emerging industries, Lin noted.
China's role in driving global innovation is becoming increasingly significant. A total of 11 Chinese companies were listed in the World Economic Forum's 2024 Technology Pioneers list, the second most by any country. While the forum's Global Lighthouse Network initiative also included 62 Chinese firms, which was the highest number globally, Lin said.
The rapid development of China's AI technology is evident, with 117 large language models officially registered by March 2024, according to the Cyberspace Administration of China.
At WAIC 2024, a diverse range of specialized large language models tailored to specific industries have flourished, showcasing their capabilities across sectors like industrial manufacturing, healthcare, meteorology, education, and scientific research.
Moreover, China is calling for close global cooperation on innovation to foster collective growth. "Innovation is not the domain of a single country or company. New challenges require collective deliberation and new achievements should be shared," Lin stated, emphasizing that innovation cooperation should be a platform for mutual success and growth among nations, but not a zero-sum game of malignant competition. He added that strategies for "decoupling" and building "high fences" are short-sighted and ultimately self-defeating.
China has established 30 national manufacturing innovation centers and has engaged in green energy projects with over 100 countries and regions, creating vivid examples of how innovative technologies support green development, Lin said.
In response to the significant opportunities presented by a new era of technological and industrial transformation, China will continue to accelerate high-quality development and engage in innovation cooperation with countries worldwide, providing robust support for the global economy and contributing to global development, Lin said.
China is also advancing industrial automation, with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reporting that the country now accounts for over 50 percent of global industrial robot installations. And, industrial internet in China now covers all major industrial categories, empowering the new industrialization with artificial intelligence, fostering 421 national intelligent manufacturing demonstration factories.
As to market gossip that BMW China will withdraw from the fierce price competition in the Chinese mainland market, the group said on Thursday that BMW, in the second half of the year, will focus on “business quality” and help support dealers stabilize sales.
From July, BMW China will reduce sales target to ease operational pressure on dealers and help them tackle short-term market challenges and ease business pressure, BMW told the Global Times in a statement.
The statement came after media reports alleging some BMW dealerships in China have raised prices, with certain car models increasing by 30,000 yuan ($4,133), triggering discussion that the German luxurious brand is retreating from a “price war.”
A salesperson at a BMW store in Shanghai named Yu told the Global Times on Thursday that there have been price hikes in the store. For example, the BMW i3 line-up is now priced at around 220,000 yuan, slightly higher than the previous pricing of 210,000 yuan.
“This was a relatively small price adjustment,” Yu said.
The reported price hike by BMW has also raised concerns that other German car brands, such as Mercedes Benz and Audi, may move to increase their selling prices in China too, after price reductions earlier this year.
A salesperson from a Mercedes Benz dealership told the Global Times on Thursday that they have not increased prices, but they do not rule out the possibility of a price hike next month.
“The store is offering a discount of 120,000 yuan on the purchase of the C-Class, which has helped to keep car prices at a low level compared to last year. However, it has led to some pressure on the store," the salesperson said.
A salesperson from Audi indicated the possibility of reducing the discounts the company has offered to Chinese customers.
In the first half of this year, there has been a wave of price changes in the Chinese car market, particularly in the new-energy vehicle (NEV) sector, with many domestic brands continuously cutting prices to expand their sales.
Facing fierce competition, BMW's sales in the Chinese market have dropped in the first half of the year. BMW (including MINI) sold 375,900 vehicles in the Chinese market in the first half of the year, a decrease of 4.2 percent year-on-year.
Zhang Xiang, secretary general of the International Intelligent Vehicle Engineering Association, told the Global Times on Thursday that the price hike may, to some extent, stimulate some hesitant customers to buy BMW cars.
“The likelihood of Benz and Audi collectively raising prices, following BMW’s move, is low, because the three brands are competitors. Their pricing strategies will take into account market dynamics and competition, and they will individually decide on their own pricing strategies in China,” Zhang said.
Zhang said that in recent years, the market share of German luxury car brands in China is being squeezed, as they are challenged by rapidly rising Chinese electric vehicle brands. And the seemingly irreversible market trend is that the gasoline-powered traditional vehicles will continue to lose market share in China, where German brands own a clear comparative advantage.
In June, nearly half of all new cars sold in China were electric or hybrid vehicles, up from one-third market penetration a year earlier. In the luxury car market, almost 30 percent of vehicles sold were NEVs, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association.
At a time of rising global protectionism, it is not uncommon to see some countries overstretch the security concept in their economic policies, which undermines the mutual benefits and efficiency of global trade and also exacerbates uncertainty and risk in international markets.
Japan and Germany have agreed to create an economic security framework amid fears about what they view as Chinese industrial "overcapacity" and "nonmarket policies and practices," the Japan Times reported on Saturday.
While it remains unclear how the framework will translate into any specific type of cooperation on economic security, the development suggests a possible trend toward an expansion of the security concept in both countries' economic and trade sphere. This is a worrying sign because it could mean more restrictions on foreign investment and trade on national security grounds, more protectionism, and a greater emphasis on political and strategic factors in international economic cooperation.
This approach will reduce market efficiency and stifle the dynamism of the global economy. In sectors like technical cooperation and trade, some Western countries and their allies are showing a growing preference for state intervention and the creation of so-called safe supply chains, which ironically will only expose their supply chains to more uncertainty by contradicting market principles and hindering the openness and innovation of the global economy.
Moreover, the extent of potential economic collaboration between Japan and Germany remains uncertain. This uncertainty stems from the intense competition between their manufacturing sectors in recent decades, notably in key industries like automobiles and industrial manufacturing, where products from both countries are closely matched and fiercely competitive.
This competitive landscape may pose numerous challenges and impose limitations to practical cooperation. It is important to note that focusing on China does not alleviate this competitive dynamic, nor does it supplant China's significance in their respective economies.
Some European countries' overemphasis on economic security in trade with China is founded on a vague and inaccurate understanding. In recent years, with China's economic growth and expanding economic and trade cooperation, some European countries have recognized the cooperation opportunities with China while perceiving their close economic ties as a threat, which is largely a result of anxiety and misunderstanding of China's economic development.
It is not uncommon to see some in Europe accuse China of "overcapacity" and economic "coercion," but such rhetoric overlooks the economic complementarities in global supply chains and China's contribution to the global economy.
First, the Chinese manufacturing sector is crucial to many industries around the world. China's production capacity not only meets domestic demand but also provides consumers and businesses around the world with a large number of goods and services. For instance, a recent Japanese government white paper showed that Japan relies heavily on China for imports of more than 1,400 types of consumer and industrial products.
Second, China's rapidly growing consumer market offers immense opportunities for multinationals. Despite the tariff dispute over Chinese electric vehicles, China remains an important market for German carmakers.
Third, China's growing investment in technological innovation and research and development has advanced the development and implementation of new technologies, crucial for the long-term growth of the global economy and efforts to combat climate change.
It is impossible for some to restructure supply chains to exclude Chinese companies while relying on the China market and China's supply, especially the intermediate goods. If Japan-Germany cooperation solely focuses on the idea of "countering China" and distorts economic policy by overstretching the security concept, it will only hinder these countries' progress and limit their own potential for growth.
Chinese automaker SAIC Motor Corp is reportedly considering building its first electric vehicle (EV) factory in Europe in Spain to produce MG-branded EVs. Chinese observers said the move is common among international automakers amid rising local demand. They urged the EU to create a fair and transparent business environment for Chinese companies, saying that the EU should cooperate with China to improve the mutually-independent EV industrial and supply chains to deliver win-win results.
SAIC Motor Corp's MG brand is considering building its first EV plant in Europe in Galicia, Spain, to produce EVs for sale to different European markets, Europa Press, a Spanish news agency, reported recently, citing company sources.
SAIC Motor told the Global Times on Tuesday that the company will disclose relevant information once a final decision is made.
"It's common to see international automakers to build factories in the markets where they sell to tap great market potential, for example, Germany's Volkswagen and BMW and US automaker General Motors have facilities in China," He Weiwen, a senior fellow from the Center for China and Globalization, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
As for SAIC Motor, building a factory in Europe will help the company avoid high tariffs imposed on its EVs. Meanwhile, this is what the EU wants to see as the move will help create a large number of jobs, contribute tax revenue and meet the EU's green transition, He said.
France would welcome China's electric vehicle giant BYD if the company wants to open a factory in France, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said in May, Reuters reported.
Currently, the EV industries of China and the EU have gradually formed an industrial and supply chain that is highly interdependent. Against this backdrop, encouraging mutual investment from both sides' companies will further improve China-EU EV industrial and supply chain and bring win-win results for the sustained development of both sides' EV industry, He said.
However, as the EU continuously escalates trade frictions with China, and has imposed 31 restrictive trade and investment measures against China since the beginning of this year, it is further deteriorating the EU's business environment for Chinese companies, according to analysts.
On July 4, the EC ruled that the individual duties applying to the three sampled Chinese producers are 17.4 percent for BYD, 19.9 percent for Geely and 37.6 percent for SAIC. Other EV producers in China, which cooperated with the investigation but were not sampled, are subject to the 20.8 percent weighted average duty.
Following the EC's announcement, SAIC Motor said it would formally demand the EC hold a hearing on the tariffs as the company seeks to further exercise its right of defense for safeguarding its own legitimate rights and interests as well as the benefits of its global clients.
The auto sector is a pillar industry for the EU, which is important for the bloc's economic growth and social stability since it creates millions of jobs. For China, the EV sector also plays an important role in driving up exports. Thus, the two sides should appropriately deal with EV trade frictions with talks, analysts said.
"The EU's abuse of trade remedy measures will further disrupt global trade order of the new-energy industry and cause negative impact on global cooperation in handling climate challenges," Cui Fan, a professor of University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times.
Cui said the EU's EV trade barriers will make EU automakers face a dilemma, as it will cause troubles for their EV products made in China to export to European market and thereby impede these automakers' electrification transformation.
In the future, China's EV participants must seek to strengthen cooperation with developing countries, with diversified methods including building factories locally and exporting intermediate products to make better use of global resources, Cui said.
In February, the Ministry of Commerce and eight relevant departments jointly released a guideline to support the healthy development of trade and cooperation involving new-energy vehicles. It called for enhancing the capability and level of international management, and strengthening collaboration with relevant overseas enterprises according to local conditions.
Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops participating in an ongoing bilateral exercise in Laos shared drone and anti-drone technologies with their Lao counterparts, a move experts said on Tuesday further displays the PLA's efforts to integrate unmanned equipment and related tactics into combat.
The China-Laos Friendship Shield-2024 joint drill had a live-fire shooting session on Monday local time under the hot sun at Kommadam Academy in Laos, the PLA Southern Theater Command said in a press release on Tuesday.
During the adaptive training phase of the exercise, the joint drill is organizing live-fire shooting of light machine guns, heavy machine guns, sniper rifles, grenade launchers, vehicle mounted mortars, pistols and assault rifles, according to the press release.
Photos attached to the Chinese press release show that the Lao soldiers got their hands on Chinese weapons, including the PLA's new QBZ-191 assault rifle, with the Chinese soldiers giving instructions on shooting techniques so they could master the Chinese equipment.
The PLA troops also shared their equipment and tactical approaches in anti-drone tasks.
A Lao soldier test-fired a Chinese anti-drone gun at an in-flight multi-rotor drone. The gun, which uses a pistol grip but has three large barrels, fired a net that captured the drone, according to a report by the PLA Daily on Monday.
The PLA Daily report also showed that the Chinese side introduced an anti-mine robot to the exercise. The unmanned equipment, about the size of an adult, runs on caterpillar tracks and has a long arm to dispose of mines.
This is not the first time the PLA has brought unmanned equipment to a joint exercise with another country, as its robot dog attracted media attention during the Golden Dragon-2024 joint exercise in Cambodia.
Against the background of fast development in unmanned technologies and their wide application in real combat in recent conflicts elsewhere in the world, China is ramping up exploration and application of drones and robots, as well as their counters, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Tuesday.
Bringing those gadgets to joint drills abroad shows that the PLA is actively testing their capabilities in unfamiliar environments and circumstances, while also introducing them to friendly militaries in a move to deepen friendship, widen exchanges and enhance pragmatic cooperation, the expert said.
Under the theme of a joint defensive operation, the China-Laos Friendship Shield-2024 joint exercise is being held from July 5 to 18 in Laos, the PLA Daily reported. More than 1,200 troops, including over 300 from the Chinese side, are participating in the drill.
In addition to light arms, robots and drones, the PLA also sent Z-20 utility helicopters, Type-08 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles and Mengshi off-road tactical vehicles via air, railway and road transport, according to the PLA Daily.
Chinese police have repatriated a Red Notice fugitive wanted by the US, according to the Xinhua News Agency on Thursday. The repatriation marks another collaboration between the law enforcement agencies of China and the US.
The fugitive, a US national, who was wanted for alleged sexual aggression against children, was handed over to the US side on Wednesday at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai. He was taken back to the US by officers from the diplomatic security service under the US Department of State, according to Chinese police, as cited by Xinhua.
This follows the repatriation of two fugitives suspected of serious criminal offenses from the US to China in June.
In May 2014, the fugitive was wanted by US law enforcement authorities for suspected child sex abuse crimes. In October 2018, Interpol issued a red notice for him. At the request of the US, Chinese public security authorities conducted a thorough investigation, ultimately locating and lawfully detaining the fugitive. After an investigation, it was determined that the fugitive did not commit any crimes of child sexual abuse in China, Xinhua reported.
An official from the Ministry of Public Security noted that, as per the consensus reached by the leaders of China and the US at the San Francisco meeting, the law enforcement departments of both countries have recently engaged in practical cooperation, covering areas such as narcotics control, illegal immigration repatriation, fugitive pursuit and cross-border crime investigations, according to Xinhua.
The two countries have stepped up efforts in cooperation in related fields since the two heads of state met in San Francisco in November 2023, when mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as counternarcotics, judicial and law enforcement affairs, AI, and science and technology was stressed.
Earlier on July 2, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a release that the department, through US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, conducted a removal flight to China this week. It was the first large charter flight since 2018 and was conducted in close coordination with China's National Immigration Administration.
The DHS continues to work with China's Ministry of Public Security and National Immigration Administration on additional removal flights, according to the release.
In the picturesque city of Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang Province, the well-known tourist attraction the West Lake - known as "a paradise on earth" - now treats visitors to a free selection of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbal tea. This news has immediately ignited the social media, becoming a hot topic of discussion.
Starting from July 6, volunteers have been serving free herbal tea for tourists at the West Lake, which offers special "coolness" to sightseers and frontline workers, at 10 permanent locations within the lake, and three temporary stalls in the parking lots.
The service will continue until October 7, covering a total of 95 days.
Each tea drink formula is carefully prepared by TCM practitioners, consisting of wolfberry, chrysanthemum, tangerine peel, red dates, and other ingredients. The drinks often have a mellow taste and a fragrant aroma, which are also helpful in harnessing human body and improving health.
One of Zhejiang's famous TCM practitioner, Wan Xiaoqing, was quoted by local media as saying that many of the free herbal teas are derived from classic Chinese medicine formulas and they are safe and suitable for human consumption.
Weng Yunyi, a staff worked employed at the West Lake scenic area, explained that this year's herbal tea stalls have been upgraded with the scenic area jointly launching different health tea drinks based on the changes in ancient Chinese solar terms.
The special TCM herbal tea treat is undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for tourists. The news of "West Lake treats visitors to free TCM herbal tea" quickly sparked vehement discussions on social media, with many netizens sharing photos and videos of themselves enjoying the tea at the West Lake.
Now, visitors are frequently spotted, holding tea cups, leaning on the railing to gaze into the distance, strolling along the lakeside, or sitting on the ground, savoring the tea fragrance, and enjoying the serene West Lake. The scenes will certainly enhance the popularity of the West Lake.
The recent provocations made by the US, Japan, and the Philippines against China in the South China Sea reached a climax this week. The first "maritime cooperation activity" jointly performed with Australia and the first trilateral US-Japan-Philippines leaders' summit are widely seen as attempts to exert coercive pressure on China with the intent to ignite a powder keg of conflict in the South China Sea.
How do the people of the Philippines view their government's reliance on the US to stir up troubles in South China Sea? What will the Philippines' unilateral and dangerous moves bring to other ASEAN member states? With these questions, Global Times reporters went to the Philippines to speak with former senior officials, think tanks, and ordinary citizens.
"The Philippines should not adopt a one-sided foreign policy," "We fear the current government will lead the Philippines down a more dangerous path," and "Over-reliance on the US does not align with the ASEAN's principles of independence and neutrality" were the most common responses that reporters received during the visit.
This is the second installment in the series. The US Embassy in the Philippines is located in a coastal area in Manila, which boasts the most beautiful beaches and waterfront promenades. A local tour guide told the Global Times that the US Embassy in the Philippines is one of the largest embassies among US missions abroad. It is closely connected to the Philippine Navy located in South Harbor in Manila and the Philippine Coast Guard Headquarters.
"The proximity means if there is any emergency, Americans can quickly escape under the protection of the Philippine military," said the guide.
Under the current Philippine government, the US' influence, which was once thought to be drifting away from the Philippines, is quickly coming back. Some Philippine analysts believe that the current Philippine government is creating friction in the South China Sea with the aim of boosting the presence of the US military in the Philippines. They believe that only by creating panic among the people can the US' military return to the Philippines "naturally."
However, the rapid transition from peace to turmoil in the Philippines has aroused strong dissatisfaction among Philippine politicians.
'We oppose increasing US military presence'
Former president Rodrigo Duterte has expressed concerns about US military presence in the Philippines on multiple occasions, believing that it will put the country in a dangerous position. He has stated that it would be pretty naive of or stupid for Filipinos to think that the Americans would only bring conventional warheads. But unfortunately, the Philippines granted the US wider access to military bases amid tensions with China in February.
The two countries not only plan to return the presence to Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Force Base, but also push an expansion reaching nine bases in total.
Ira Pozon, a Philippine lawyer, also the Legal Counsel to the former Philippine vice president, told the Global Times that the US' influence in the Philippines is deeply rooted, from the education system to the political system, with the Philippine parliament's bicameral system being modeled after that of the US. The names of many streets in the Philippines show the influence of the US and most Filipinos' understanding of China also comes from Western reports and narratives.
Pozon candidly said that the influence of the US on the Philippines has been strong since its founding. However, Filipinos have no intention of becoming enemies with China. On the contrary, they hope to become good, mutually understanding neighbors.
Rommel C. Banlaoi, president of Philippine Society for International Security Studies and the chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence, and Terrorism Research, told the Global Times that he believes it is one of the US' pieces of advice to the current Philippine government to pursue such kinds of confrontational action, especially in the context of what they call the "offensive transparency strategy" in the South China Sea.
"They have a way to give such kind of support to the Philippines. For example, as a result of President Marcos' decision to be closer with the US, the US decided to provide more military assistance funding to the Philippines, and the Philippine military can use this funding to train anybody to protect our interests in the South China Sea," he said.
Rommel C. Banlaoi is a renowned analyst on the South China Sea row, and was assigned to help advise the president on security matters in 2022. His experience has seen the Philippine government shift from neutrality to a clear bias toward the US.
"There are people opposing those decisions of increasing US military presence in the Philippines and I am one of them. The US wants to have a greater role in the area. We don't want to take sides with the US or China, but to take the side of our interests. Because of the decision of the current president to be closer to the US, we are becoming isolated from the ASEAN. Many ASEAN member states do not like what we are doing because it is running counter to the principle of the ASEAN of promoting the region as a zone of peace, freedom, and neutrality. The Philippines is no longer neutral because the Philippines has decided to become part of US strategy in the Pacific," said Banlaoi.
"The Philippines cannot be a truly proud, independent nation if we continue to rely on the US," Banlaoi stressed. "Our current government is heavily reliant on the US to advance our position in the South China Sea and that kind of reliance is truly hurting Philippines-China relations and is making it difficult to settle our disputes in the South China Sea."
Similar concerns are shared among current senior government officials as well.
On March 25, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 57. It's reported that the Executive Order was signed two days after the water cannon warning by the China Coast Guard against Philippine vessels near Renai Jiao, section 7 of which authorizes the National Maritime Center to "accept donations, contributions, grants, bequests, or gifts from domestic or foreign sources."
Philippine Senator Imee Marcos warned her brother, President Marcos Jr, against the Executive Order, which she said would welcome a "Trojan horse of foreign interference." "Emotion rather than reason has prevailed in our maritime conflict with China and is leading us down a dangerous path that will cost us more than just Filipino pride," she said in a statement on April 1, the Daily Tribune reported.
Imee Marcos reiterated that putting the lives of Filipinos in danger is a "gross irresponsibility and must be avoided at all costs." She also advocated for a proper dialogue with China.
Former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also said during the Boao Forum for Asia 2024 on March 27 that the Philippine government and people do not want war, and China is very important to Philippines.
'Confronting with China would be very bad for us'
During the visit, Global Times reporters noticed that symbols of China-Philippines friendship are still visible everywhere in Manila.
When asked about the must-visit places for Chinese tourists in Manila, locals recommended the St. Augustine Church, the oldest Catholic church in Manila. On either side of the church's entrance are several Chinese-style stone lions, clear proof that Chinese workers participated in the construction of the church. They are considered by many Filipinos to be symbols of China-Philippines friendship.
In addition, the "China-Philippines Friendship Gate" archway at the entrance of Manila Chinatown with distinct Chinese characteristics and the Manila Bridge built by China for the Philippines still hold a place in the hearts of locals.
However, Global Times reporters could also clearly feel that under the guidance of the current Philippine government, the Philippine media establishment has dissolved the friendly atmosphere between China and the Philippines. This has increased public sentiment for the two sides to engage in dialogue, rather than introducing risks from external sources.
Philippine college student Yuan Ross Rama told the Global Times that he feels the growing confrontation between the two governments and hopes that the two governments will peacefully resolve the dispute through dialogue. Ordinary people do not want to take sides between the two major powers, as ultimately it is the interests of the people and fishermen that will be harmed.Local tourism industry practitioners are also worried about the deterioration of China-Philippines relations. A local tour guide named Ryan told the Global Times that "the deterioration of bilateral relations has had a direct impact on me. In the first three months of this year, I received fewer Chinese tour groups than in a typical month."
He said that if there were no Chinese people doing business in the Philippines, the Philippine economy would incur huge losses. "Chinese people are very good at trade, which is exactly the ability that the Filipino people lack."
According to Ryan, during former president Duterte's tenure, there were relatively fewer people begging on the streets of Manila or making a living by wiping cars in the dense traffic. But now these people can be seen frequently. "I can't say that the wealth gap in the Philippines was much wider now, but at least at that time the government would set up some relief agencies to help them. Now, the Philippine government chooses to confront rather than cooperate with China, which is very bad for us." 'Manila's role as US pawn receives no regional support'
The Philippine government's unilateral actions have not just sparked concern among its own people. Scholars from many ASEAN countries have also told the Global Times that they are worried that their own countries will be forced to take sides, or that current tensions will affect their bilateral cooperation with China.
"We are concerned that the worsening China-Philippines relations will have a negative impact on the projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Malaysia and the cooperation mechanism proposed by China in Southeast Asia," Ong Tee Keat, former Malaysian minister of transport, told the Global Times.
Any military posture and provocative remarks made by any party under the instigation of external forces should not be allowed to undermine the overall mutually beneficial partnership between China and the ASEAN, said Ong Tee Keat.
There's no necessity for the ASEAN to appoint a spokesperson that represents an external power, including the US, Dato' Abdul Majit bin Ahmad Khan, president of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association, and also former Malaysian ambassador to China, told the Global Times in a recent interview.
"There has always been the intention of the ASEAN, China, and also other countries to ensure that the South China Sea remains a region of peace and stability. It's in our interest that things should not get toxic, because then it will affect our development efforts and the harmonious relationship that we have built over the past years. I believe all ASEAN member countries and China want to see peace in the region so that we can pursue development for our people," said Majit.
Malaysia's Prime Minister, on March 4, spoke up in defense of ties with China and rebuffed alleged pressure by the US and its allies on regional nations to take sides in the West's strategic rivalries with Beijing, the South China Morning Post reported. Anwar Ibrahim also said the risk of conflict in the South China Sea had been exaggerated.
Peng Nian, director of the Hong Kong Research Center for Asian Studies (RCAS), told the Global Times that except for the Philippines, other ASEAN countries are unwilling to "take sides" in this geopolitical competition. He said that what worries ASEAN countries is that the maritime dispute between China and the Philippines may escalate into a local military confrontation, threatening the peace and prosperity of the region.
Peng noted that countries like Vietnam have not followed the Philippines in provoking the South China Sea issue in the last two years. Obviously, the Philippines is acting as a "pawn" for the US, but not receiving support from regional countries.
In a recent survey in Southeast Asia - the State of Southeast Asia 2024 Survey Report - China became the respondents' "top choice" for an alliance if the ASEAN were forced to align with one of its strategic rivals (such as the US or China) for the first time since 2020.
The majority of respondents believe that Southeast Asian countries' relationship with China is improving, while confidence in the US as a strategic partner and provider of regional security has declined significantly.
A recent wave of visits by state leader and senior foreign affair officials to China has been witnessed among ASEAN member states, which is believed to be a true reflection of China-ASEAN relations growing closer, as well as a vivid practice of regional countries yearning for peace and seeking development.
"If you look at the trend in the region, all ASEAN countries except the Philippines are seeking balanced relations between these two great powers, but the Philippines is becoming more and more pro-American. The interests of the Philippines are the interests of the Filipino people, and the interests of the Filipino people are tied in with the interests of the ASEAN," said Banlaoi.
May 15 marks the 52nd anniversary of Okinawa's "return" to Japan. Recently, Okinawan residents discovered the presence of Dutch naval soldiers in the training grounds of the US military base in Okinawa but the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs may have been unaware of this beforehand. On Tuesday, Okinawan residents who discovered this matter spoke exclusively to the Global Times, detailing the sequence of events.
Despite accounting for only 0.6 percent of Japan's total land area, Okinawa hosts over 70 percent of the US military bases in Japan. Over the years, Okinawan residents have continuously protested against the presence of these bases, but the Japanese government has paid little attention and has instead accelerated military deployment.
Akino Miyagi, 45, was born on Hamahiga Island in Uruma city, Okinawa Prefecture. She began participating in anti-base protests during high school. As an entomologist, she discovered during her research in 2011 that the presence of US military bases, including artillery shells, had a detrimental impact on the local ecology. Since then, she has been actively involved in activities opposing US military bases as an environmental researcher.
Miyagi told the Global Times that in late March, while conducting her regular protests at the US military's Northern Training Area in Okinawa, she noticed several soldiers wearing different styles of camouflage uniforms on military trucks. Typically, after leaving the training area, US military trucks return to the base. However, on that occasion, she personally witnessed several trucks entering and leaving the training area, deviating from their usual route.
The Northern Training Area is located in Kunigami District, northern Okinawa Prefecture. It is a US military base and the largest military exercise field in Okinawa Prefecture. In 1998, it was renamed the Jungle Warfare Training Center (JWTC).
After noticing the unusual situation, Miyagi logged into the website of the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), a subunit of the US Department of Defense, to investigate.
One article on the website revealed that from March 10 to 24, the US military and the Dutch Marines conducted training at the JWTC in Okinawa called the "Jungle Leaders Course." It also noted that this training aims to prepare the US and its allies for combat in challenging jungle environments.
Miyagi told the Global Times that she immediately contacted the Okinawa Defense Bureau, who claimed that they were unaware of the presence of Dutch soldiers training at the US military training grounds in Okinawa.
Miyagi said that various indications suggest that the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs may also have been unaware of this matter beforehand.
According to the Okinawa Times, when asked for a response to related inquiries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it had confirmed with the US and Dutch military that indeed three Dutch soldiers entered the US military's Northern Training Area in Okinawa in March. However, the ministry claimed that their purpose was for inspection rather than "training."
When asked if they were aware of this beforehand, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' response was ambiguous, stating that "individual cases cannot be generalized." It is reported that the Dutch soldiers disguised themselves as ordinary passengers and entered Japan via commercial flights at civilian airports.
Okinawan residents have long suffered from the troubles brought by US military bases. In recent years, with the significant rightward shift in the Japanese government, there has been an acceleration of military deployments in Okinawa, leaving local residents living in fear.
According to the Okinawa Ryukyu Shimpo, a local newspaper, the DVIDS released information saying that this US military training is aimed at helping allies familiarize themselves with the operational environment. This suggests that in the future, it is not unlikely that soldiers from other countries may enter the US military bases in Okinawa for combat training, raising concerns about the normalization of the entry of third-country forces into these bases.
Okinawa Governor Danny Tamaki said that the US military did not inform the prefecture in advance about the nature of the training they would conduct. Regardless of the specifics, joint training between the US military and foreign forces will not alleviate the burden on the bases.
As of press time, the Global Times found that the article on the website of the DVIDS had removed the mention of the Dutch soldiers.
The US military has only two facilities globally for jungle warfare training, one in Hawaii and the other being the Northern Training Area in Okinawa. The environment within the Northern Training Area is highly similar to that of several other countries, giving it a clear advantage in regular military training, according to Miyagi.
For instance, there are no infectious diseases like malaria in the jungle, no fierce beasts like tigers, strong radio signals, and it's relatively easy to obtain water from the mountains, rivers, and rainfall. Even in the event of injuries, the distance to hospitals is not far.
Miyagi also noted that the "Jungle Skills Course" typically involves soldiers entering the jungle on Sundays to begin a five-day training program, ending on Fridays. The entire process must be conducted collectively, aiming to reinforce soldiers' awareness of unconditional obedience to commands.
The Okinawa Ryukyu Shimpo reported that the Japanese government claims to allow third-country soldiers to enter the US military bases in Okinawa under certain circumstances but has not publicly disclosed specific criteria. In 2016, two British Royal Marines participated in training with the US Marine Corps at Camp Schwab and Camp Hansen in Okinawa. In 2017, the Philippine Navy trained with the US Navy at Camp Schwab in Okinawa. Instances of third-country military forces training at US military bases in Okinawa have occurred, but only a few of these cases have been made public.
The newspaper also mentioned that to counter China, the US Marine Corps has been conducting training for the so-called "Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations" (EABO) at the Northern Training Area. It is not unlikely that NATO member countries may also join this training in the future. Allowing foreign military forces to enter Okinawa without local knowledge may bring new concerns for the local residents.
Miyagi said that it is unacceptable for foreign military personnel to enter the US military bases in Okinawa for military training disguised as ordinary passengers on commercial flights through civilian airports. Even though Japan and the US have signed the US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement, many issues remain unresolved.
Moreover, there are no relevant agreements between Japan and the Netherlands, meaning that it may be difficult to hold Dutch soldiers accountable for any incidents in Okinawa. If this phenomenon becomes normalized, it will undoubtedly exacerbate tensions in Okinawa, said Miyagi.
Miyagi told the Global Times that the reason such situations occur in Okinawa is mainly because, from the US perspective, using US military bases in Germany and other countries comes with many restrictions, while those in Japan, especially in Okinawa, can be used "as they want."
Despite the extremely negative nature of this event, the reality is that the Japanese government simply doesn't care about what Okinawa is going through, said Miyagi.
