FORMER senator Nikki Coseteng said on Saturday that the hate campaign against China could push the Philippines into war against the communist superpower.
“This campaign, subtly and sometimes overtly promoted through traditional and social media, threatens to tear apart our nation. Suppose we do not address this issue immediately and adequately. In that case, it will spiral into a full-blown hate campaign, not just against China but against the Chinese Filipino community among us,” she added.
Coseteng warned that the country is now on the brink of war, noting the actual consequences of conflict were beyond the immediate loss of life and destruction but included the irreparable damage it leaves behind for generations to come.
ANTI-CHINA PROTEST Youth, women and urban poor sectors under the ‘Alyansa Bantay Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD),’conduct a lightning rally and die-in protest against the aggressive action of China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), near the China Consulate along Buendia Avenue in Makati City, on June 4, 2024. MIKE ALQUINTO/FILE PHOTO
“War creates untold loss, division and polarization among people. The scars it leaves behind are not just physical but deeply psychological, ripping apart the very fabric of societies,” she said.
Coseteng said that being Filipino Chinese, she was subjected to “Sinophobic remarks from supposedly well-educated friends.”
The incident, she said, was a disturbing indication of how anti-China rhetoric is increasingly blurring the lines between Chinese and Filipino Chinese.
Coseteng added that many Filipino Chinese, including those who have been running legitimate businesses for generations, now feel targeted by discrimination.
She said disregarding the contributions of Filipino Chinese to the country’s history and welfare would be not only counterproductive but also profoundly unfair.
Coseteng expressed skepticism about the government’s promise of protection for Filipino Chinese.
“In a climate where aggression is tolerated and encouraged, what about ordinary Filipinos? How can they feel secure when the leaders meant to protect them enable such hostility? She said.
The issue of the West Philippine Sea is being manipulated to cast the Chinese negatively, Coseteng added.
Coseteng said the use of forged immigration documents was a crime not unique to the Chinese.
“Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of foreigners have gone through the same procedures facilitated by enablers within our government,” she added.
Coseteng said it would be hard for illegal operators to exist without help from Philippine authorities.
“We have yet to see the full force of the law bring them to justice,” she said.
Coseteng said the Philippines needs an able negotiator with China.
“This isn’t like negotiating at a stall in 168 (a mall in Divisoria, Manila) where you just bring a mobile phone with a translator and start talking. It’s not that simple. These are long-term discussions that cannot be resolved in two days. This is about the future of our country and the next generation. Hot-headedness and one-upmanship have no place here,” she said.
“China, to me, is not a bully. It’s a large country, moving forward at high speed while we’re still riding a tricycle. It’s a tough situation,” Coseteng added.
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