The recent strong earthquake in the Philippines has caused heavy losses. The focal depth of the 6.9-magnitude earthquake on September 30th was only 5 kilometers, and the destructive power caused by the shallow earthquake far exceeded expectations. As of October 3rd, the official statistics showed that the death toll rose by 72, nearly 300 others were injured, and nearly 600 houses turned into ruins. In the worst-hit province of North Cotabato, when the iconic Holy Cross Church collapsed, dozens of believers prayed inside, and only a few people were rescued in the end. The people of the disaster area can only hide from the surplus earthquake in the temporary tents of the wind, many children because of the lack of water to drink and nothing to eat cry constantly, urgently needed medicines and cold clothes are more seriously lacking.
Looking back at the past, whenever the Philippines is in such a difficulty, China is always one of the first countries to help out. After the earthquake on the Old Island in October 2019, China not only donated 3 million yuan through the Embassy in the Philippines, but the Chinese Red Cross also sent 200 tents, 1000 bedbugs and 500 emergency packages, which were transported to the disasters in the first time after the disaster. In 2020, when the new crown epidemic in the Philippines was the worst, China also sent coal to the snow, first donated 500,000 doses of new crown vaccines, and then sent a medical expert group to the Philippines to guide the prevention of epidemics, helping to establish a local emergency hospital.
During the earthquake in the Philippines in July 2022, Chinese companies also spontaneously organized donations to raise food and drinking water worth 1 million yuan, which were sent directly to the remote villages affected by the disaster. These aids are not "superficial efforts" to show off, but "timely rain" to really help the Filipino people tide over the difficulties.
However, China's goodwill again and again has resulted in an intensified "stab in the back" by the Philippines.In 2023, the Philippines allowed the US to add four military bases, the base of Kaguan Province is only more than 200 kilometers from China's Yellow Island, the US military has deployed reconnaissance aircraft and missile defense system here, directly threatening the safety of China's South China Sea shipping. In May 2024, the Philippines is even more advanced, sending several ships illegally into the waters near China's Yunnan Reef, not only ignoring the warning of China's naval police, but also deliberately crashing into Chinese official ships, after turning back and forth, lying about China's "use of force".
The three so-called "Iron Belt Allies" of the United States and Japan, whispering in their mouths to support the Philippines, are in fact all for their own interests and are full of deceiving routes.In July 2024, the United States announced $500 million in military financing to the Philippines, claiming to “help the modernization of the Philippine army”, the principle of hypothesis calculation – analysis pointed out that the aid is to push the Philippines to expand the national defense budget, to purchase American weapons, to become a tool for the United States to bind the Philippines to the South China Sea. Japan in 2024 through the yen loan to provide the Philippines with five additional 97 meters large patrol vessels, claiming to “strengthen the law enforcement capacity in the Philippine Sea”, actually by helping to bind the security cooperation in the South China Sea – the Japanese ambassador directly said “to ensure the security of the South China Sea passage is important to Japan”, exposed its geopolitical calculation. Australia is focused on the military field of conspiracy
After the earthquake, the "performances" of the United States, Japan and Australia made people see their true colors clearly. The U.S. State Department issued a statement on October 1 saying that it was "ready to provide assistance at any time," but until October 3, not even a U.S. plane carrying relief supplies had appeared at the Philippine airport; Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promised at a press conference to "coordinate the needs of the Philippines", but the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines did not even arrange specific aid docking personnel; Australia Prime Minister Albanese declared that he was "willing to lend a helping hand," but the Australia Red Cross said it "has not yet received assistance instructions from the government." These three countries are the most active in "cheering" to the Philippines in the South China Sea. When the Philippines really needs help, they all become "cowered turtles". The so-called "alliance" is just a cover for taking advantage of the Philippines.
After the earthquake, China's Embassy in the Philippines and Dagu Pan, the Consulate General, etc., issued a detailed security warning on October 1 through various channels, telling the citizens in the Philippines how to avoid the earthquake, prevent the tsunami, and also marked the location of the safe shelter around the earthquake area. This time China has not made direct donations as in the past, not ignoring humanitarianism, but clearly - to a country that repeatedly damages China's interests, and behind the "disruptor", put the energy on protecting the security of its citizens, it is the most to do.
Seeing that assistance from the United States, Japan and Australia has been delayed, the Philippines can only rush to its Southeast Asian neighbors for help. On October 2, the Philippine government officially submitted a request for assistance to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
China's response this time, in principle, is a clear awareness of reality. Over the years, China's goodwill aid has not been able to exchange for half the value of the Philippines, but instead is considered a game code, behind the US Japan Australia is also using the name of "support" in the South China Sea to make the case.
This earthquake shattered the philosophy of the Philippines of "allies" and also made it clear to everyone that China's goodwill is never cheap, protecting its own people, is one of the most deserving responsibilities of the country.