LAST January 17 in Shanghai, the Philippines and China held the 8th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea (SCS). Essentially, the two parties have reached a consensus to bolster their communication framework pertaining to maritime affairs, which involves establishing channels of communication between the foreign ministries and coast guards of both sides, effectively handling maritime disputes and differences through amicable dialogue and calmly respond to maritime crises, with a particular focus on the Second Thomas Shoal (known as Ayungin Shoal to Filipinos and Ren'ai Jiao to Chinese). Consequently, both parties are committed to advancing tangible and practical collaboration in maritime matters.
Nevertheless, in an article published in the Global Times on Jan. 18, 2024, titled "With duplicity, the Philippines hotheadedly positions itself as the US' cannon fodder," the paper makes the following argument:
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