Philippine-China relations: That was then, this is now

Letter  writer Austin Ong (“‘Lack of understanding’ of long-standing PH-China relations,” 11/29/18) clearly displayed an impressive knowledge of history as he narrated the friendly relationship between China and the Philippines that existed way back before our time.

As he wrote in part “… China, [in] centuries of relations, only traded with and extended friendship to us.”

Fine and dandy! But that was then and this is now.

Besides, in most business dealings, dealers will always show outright friendliness to whom they deal with. It’s good for the business since it helps keep their customers loyal.

Ong also questioned the Filipinos’ distrust of China but went on to say: “Of course, we must remain vigilant and be responsible for our own decisions, as no country would do that for us—

and that can only start with having the right facts.”

What exactly are the right facts?

To brief the historically minded Ong on current affairs, how about China’s aggressive acts of seizing and militarizing islands in the West Philippine Sea that the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague ruled were under the Philippines’ jurisdiction?

What about China’s continuous harassment of our fisherfolk in that part of the sea?

Aren’t these facts enough?

If those are not enough factual reasons to distrust China, then somebody please tell me what is.

JUANITO T. FUERTE,

[email protected]