Why the South China Sea row is now an election hot-button issue for the Philippines
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is using the country's foreign policy stance towards China as a key issue in the upcoming midterm elections, marking a first for a political leader in the Philippines. During a rally, Marcos Jnr urged voters to support his Senate allies, implying that his opponents would allow the Philippines to become a "province of China," a reference to a past remark by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Marcos Jnr assured the crowd that his senatorial candidates would defend the Philippines' interests, particularly in the context of ongoing disputes in the South China Sea. He called for a clean sweep of all 12 Senate seats up for grabs in the May elections, alongside thousands of local executive and legislative positions. This move signals a strategic shift, leveraging foreign policy to galvanize support for his political agenda.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is using the country's foreign policy stance towards China as a key issue in the upcoming midterm elections, marking a first for a political leader in the Philippines. During a rally, Marcos Jnr urged voters to support his Senate allies, implying that his opponents would allow the Philippines to become a "province of China," a reference to a past remark by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Marcos Jnr assured the crowd that his senatorial candidates would defend the Philippines' interests, particularly in the context of ongoing disputes in the South China Sea. He called for a clean sweep of all 12 Senate seats up for grabs in the May elections, alongside thousands of local executive and legislative positions. This move signals a strategic shift, leveraging foreign policy to galvanize support for his political agenda.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
