Superpowers and smaller nations or the Philippines.

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SUPERPOWERS gobbling up smaller nations is a global reflex or universal deduction. The West devoured the world for centuries before the 21st. When China's trade dragon was essentially asleep, and Beijing's state owned industries were basically dealing business selectively, we Filipinos were protesting America. All Philippine presidents were controlled by Washington, we cried. “Sabwatang U.S. Marcos!”

       Meanwhile, when Cold War was focused between the United States and Russia, China was quietly buying acres and acres of lands in 4 corners of the earth. That was Deng Xiaoping's plan–per "Four Modernizations" to open door policy–after Mao Zedong died in 1976 and went full-blast after Tiananmen revolt in 1989. So when China entered World Trade Organization in 2001, after a trade pact with the US in 2000 (signed by Bill Clinton and Jiang Zemin), Beijing was set and ready for trade expansionism. 

       Meanwhile, Russia entered WTO in 2012 as friendship with China was apparently revived through the years. In 1992, the two countries declared that they were pursuing a "constructive partnership.” In 1996, they progressed toward a "strategic partnership.” And in 2001, they signed a treaty of "friendship and cooperation.” Anyhow, Beijing state-owned banks advised Moscow’s Central Bank  to diversify per oil/natural gas anchor and ease up the apparatchik mojo. Do West-styled capitalism. Etc etcetera. 

       And so as President Biden works per beck and call of America’s 1 Percent which lost clout and juice vs the East, Russia, and Gulf's oil sheikhs--to regain power pedestal-- here we go, Filipinos, throwing darts at China. Consider this fact: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr got quid pro quo, decades overdue, to deliver to Uncle Sam. But remember, China got together 14 economies in the region via the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as the Democratic Party was rejoicing Joe's win in Nov 2020. 

       My point. It is not about China or the United States. It all boils down to how the Philippines negotiates on the trade table. Singapore is friends to both but it is rich with no natural resource but its people. Vietnam is a recent example of a country or leadership that plays the West/East card so well. Cambodia is also surging. 

       But here we are. Blaming China as we blamed the U.S. before, during Marcos dictatorship. We blamed China as well during Rodrigo Duterte’s time. Yet we are within top 5 producer/exporter of sugar cane, banana, mangoes, coconut, rice as well as "climate change" industry minerals such as cobalt -- plus a strong labor manufacturing force -- but we never really used our leverage to the max. 

       Meantime, our strategic position in South China Sea is like Oman or Iran in Strait of Hormuz but again we up the China bully narrative out there than play the political or economics tactics better. 🇨🇳🇵🇭🇺🇸