Perspectives different from where Duterte sits

For reasons we can only guess, China does not bully everyone. That it does bully the Philippines, though, is clear. And for reasons that allow little room for guesswork. We are at odds with China over territory. There can be no clearer reason than that for the party of superior force and resource to bully the hapless other.

The latest report of bullying involves the deployment of more than 200 fishing vessels by China inside what is clearly the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines. While an EEZ is not essentially territory, it is assigned by legal conventions to particular countries to exploit as well as protect. That it is called exclusive speaks for itself.

In other words China has neither business nor right to be within our EEZ. And it is the business and the right of the Philippines to drive China away. The problem is, we just cannot do that, not even if we want to. And God knows we want to. What a lip-smacking sense of gratification it would be if we can only grab China by the neck or gouge its eyes out.

But if we cannot even attack one lousy intruding Chinese vessel for fear of its repercussions, how much more for 220 of them? The stacks are piled so high against us that one shudders to think of any miscalculation or bad decision on the part of the Philippines. Thankfully, President Duterte has successfully steered us clear of any situation we may only regret later.

It is good that Duterte has not allowed himself to get carried away by the tempting rhetoric of gung-ho nationalism, that devil-may-care kick-ass nationalist attitude that holds little regard for who might get hurt, which in this case can only be our own selves. It is good that many of those egging for action happen to be enemies of Duterte, making him automatically averse to their perorations.

It is easy to get hot under the collar over the Chinese provocations. I am pretty sure even Duterte himself is about near the end of his rope. He is not impervious to the bullying. He is not the type to turn the other cheek. But while his enemies call him a killer and he may relish the designation for good reason, there is a reason as well for why he is now pushing 80. And it is because he chooses his battles well. The guy is a survivor.

Duterte wants no fight that he cannot win. And he knows that if we go to war with China, not only will the Philippines lose, it will lose badly. In fact it will lose more than what it had before deciding to fight. Better to lose a few rocky outcrops in the South China Sea to Chinese bullying than lose the entire country and become a Chinese province under Chinese occupation. Life will be far worse then than just enduring wounded pride.

And we will lose our friends as well. America has many troubles of its own. That country is disintegrating, eating itself up. It will not come to the aid of the Philippines despite what the Yellow enemies of Duterte insist. It may give us arms and equipment but let us fight alone. It will not shed the blood of a single American for us. Why, they are now even going after those who look like us in America.