IT seems China is running out of cards to play if one considers the recent developments in the disputed waters.

From exercising diplomacy, the Philippines led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. adopted a ‘paradigm shift’ in dealing with China.

Last year. Marcos pointed out that diplomacy appears to be futile and thus a new strategy must be employed by the government to respond to China’s ‘aggressive expansionism’ in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Since then, the Philippines has been focusing on its new tactic which looks like effective in slowly but surely putting China in a corner.

Said game plan is referred to by an expert as ‘aggressive transparency’ where we expose to the entire world all the wrongdoings of China in WPS.

One may recall how the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has been recently persistent in recording China’s mischiefs – blocking our supply missions, dangerous maneuvers of the Chinese Coast guard resulting to a collision between one of its vessels and ours, firing water cannons on Philippine boats, and more.

Such incidents were covered by both the local and foreign media and were eventually seen by the international community that responded accordingly.

While some rebuked China for its actions against the Philippines, many expressed support for our country.

With China at the center of global attention, it’s now being more careful in pursuing its territorial claims, a behavior that can be likened when somebody with bad intent is being caught on CCTV.

But what’s bothering China most is the growing alliances between the Philippines and other super powers led by the United States.

Said alliances have paved the way for joint military exercises with the US, Japan, and Australia in WPS.

Other countries sympathetic to the Philippines have also started offering assistance to further build up our military and improve the Filipinos’ defense capability.

These developments are surely working in favor of the Philippines where confidence in dealing with China’s bullying has dramatically gone high.

In fact, floating barriers installed by China in WPS have been removed by the PCG. The PCG vowed to remove any barrier to be put up by China in the future.

In contrast, China is becoming unsure of its approaches to the changing situations in the WPS.

To save its face after the bold move of the PCG, China countered by saying it voluntarily removed its floating barriers.

Isn’t that a reply coming from a wimp?

**

For comments, please call or text 09569012811 or email [email protected]