Between Tradition and Tension: Non-State Actors is the Key to Make Philippines-China Relations Great Again

Hugo Santos

Hugo Santos, Writer and Youth Representative of Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI)

The Philippines and China have been in contact centuries ago and the cultures of both nations are connected and integrated up to the present day, this is a testament to the intercultural relations of both sides. The bilateral relationship between Beijing and Manila had their achievements throughout the years with the Philippine leadership shifts every half a decade but with the same token challenges emerged that strained tensions in recent years. There are multiple avenues for diplomacy vis a vis Philippines-China relations however due to the rise of social media the Filipino youths are the most vulnerable to disinformation as social media is the preferred source of current affairs both domestically and internationally. Diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines are celebrating 50 years of bilateral relations and the Philippines can improve bilateral relations through new regionalism where non-state actors can initiate formal and informal negotiations between the two sides.

The Philippines team players pose during the award ceremony for the men's curling at the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 14, 2025. (Xinhua)

Throughout the years Philippine-China relations blossomed with non-state actors such as institutions that promote business and commerce, cultural exchanges and educational exchanges, these sectors paved the way to promote bilateral ties between Beijing and Manila at a national level. Multiple business sectors in the Philippines with Filipino-Chinese communities promote bilateral ties through business events from expos in Manila to trade missions between the two countries which eventually made the Philippine economy resilient. The Chinatown in Binondo Philippines is the oldest Chinatown in the world outside of greater China. It was established in 1594 and this shows that Filipinos have always welcomed the Chinese with open hands. There are several joint projects initiated by both countries for the development of the Philippines with multiple Presidential administrations; the most recent project is the Binondo-Intramuros bridge project which was made during the administration of then President Rodrigo Duterte. The Binondo-Intramuros bridge was one of the national projects initiated by the Duterte administration when the former president went to China for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) forum. The Philippines was once a beneficiary of the BRI as the country was part of the initiative and it has shared interests with the Duterte administration’s Build! Build! Build! Infrastructure Program (BBB) aims to develop the Philippine economy through big-ticket infrastructure. The current administration under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has a Build Better More program which also prioritizes infrastructure similar to his predecessor, despite strained relations Chinese investors are still the largest investors in the infrastructure industry as they have the largest delegations in the annual construction events held in Manila. Filipino people have always been welcome in China due to its geographical proximity and cultural ties throughout history. A large number of Filipinos go to China to pursue their educational degrees as well as major sports events such as the Asian Winter Games in Harbin this year where the Philippine team was participating. Multiple achievements between China and the Philippines outweigh the challenges however most youths oversee this as current political tensions persist.

In recent years, ties between Beijing and Manila have been at their worst in the history of both countries. The rise of new regionalism gave rise to the strong bond between the Chinese and Filipino people with a large contribution of track two diplomacy with Filipino-Chinese communities promoting bilateral relations from weekly conferences in bakeries to think tanks promoting peace and prosperity between the two countries despite heavy pressures from external factors. Political tensions have risen with the tensions in the South China Sea due to disinformation which spiralled out of control and led to the rise of Sinophobia. The Filipino people are known for their hospitality. However, with the vulnerable attitude of the current generation with their “metaverse”, the increase of hate towards the Chinese is affecting bilateral relations. According to President Marcos Jr. the South China Sea issue should not be the defining reference on the overall bilateral ties between the two countries but with the mainstream media along with social media bilateral ties strained from state to non-state levels which may cause big implications for the Philippine economy. Unfortunately, mainstream media and social media add insult to injury when they magnify alleged cases involving ethnic Chinese in key government positions or tech-related industries such as engineers. The perception of Filipinos towards the Chinese is very alarming and it will do more damage than harm as other Southeast Asian countries had similar cases in the past decades with anti-Chinese sentiment however these developing countries neighboring the Philippines currently have better relations with China. In the 2025 midterm elections, the Anti-China sentiment is being used as an election issue, it is the first time in history that the Philippine elections use foreign policy for political ambitions this is a spillover due to the rising anti-China sentiment of the people that is very divisive to Philippine society that is historically and culturally integrated with China. During the last months of 2024 building up to the elections, an investigation was done for the illegal scams of online gaming or known as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO), the Chinese government through the Chinese Embassy in Manila would like to investigate this matter as it is also a concern in China because their citizens are being scammed. One of the largest sectors of the Philippine economy is the tourism industry. But the influx of Chinese tourists went down and instead, the tourists were diverted to neighboring countries. Chinese tourists are the largest tourist market, which perfectly fits the Philippine tourism industry. The economy will be affected by these issues.

The Philippines and China have so much potential in multiple sectors from political to economic relations. The non-state actors in the Philippines should continue and promote exchanges between the two sides that promote common interests. Filipino-Chinese groups can mend ties and bring back bilateral ties as it was. The Filipino people are always hospitable and it is up to the private sector to Make Philippines-China relations Great Again.

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