If there is one lesson to be learned here, it is the importance of having a fully independent foreign policy which reminds me of what Claro M. Recto has been saying all this time.
Sentimentalism and emotionalism should not play a part in international relations. It is folly to expect any nation to ever sacrifice its welfare and security to pure idealism or to sentimental attachments. As Filipinos, we must look out for ourselves, because no one else will. That is the essence of our independence.
^ or why picking a boneheaded fight with China over a bunch of islands claimed by at least four other countries has always been a bad idea.
Opinion/analysis piece on sanctions:
New world order: Russia has just turned itself into a commodity superpower
Well, that works too although I was thinking more along the lines of when China eventually invades Taiwan to reunify or when China and U.S. rivalry eventually escalates into armed conflict because the Americans are pivoting to Asia now and will try to contain China thru Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, and possibly us.
Historically speaking, countries who have remained "neutral" were mostly spared from heavy casualties during the previous world war like Sweden, Finland and even Thailand... while we got clobbered pretty bad all because of our affiliations with the Americans. We are of strategic and logistical importance to the Americans because we serve as a shield or barrier for them into the Pacific and nothing more. Do we really want to be part of that?
I think moving forward, what our foreign policy should be is that that we will continue to work and maintain friendly relations with any or all countries (including U.S. and China) in matters concerning economic partnerships and cooperation. Any defense related cooperation, we maintain observer status at best but will not be fully affiliated... In case war breaks out, we will never have to choose sides. We just tell them off and say sorry, just duke it out amongst themselves, we will have none of it.
We will still have to shore up our military capability but it will mostly serve as deterrent or similar to Singapore's "poison shrimp" defense doctrine.
