The road back to China

THE conflicting claims of the Philippines and China over the West Philippine (South China) Sea have been existing for decades and yet, it’s only during the administration of President BS Aquino The Last, I mean The Third, that tension between the two countries has heightened. It came to a point that China even flexed its military muscle and has refused to discuss issues related to the conflict until after the Aquino administration is gone—to the dust bin of history?

I had thought that the conflicting territorial claims would affect the normally friendly relations between Chinese and Filipinos. Thus, before my sisters Nelly and Myrla went to Beijing on a 10-day unguided tour, I cautioned them that they might get cold and even hostile reception by the Chinese. On their return to Manila, however, they were full of good words for the mainland Chinese, all of whom they had met for the first time.