MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) once again cautioned the public that China’s foreign interference and malign influence (FIMI) will further escalate leading up to the 2028 local and national elections.
The AFP agrees with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who, in his working visit to SIngapore said China’s increased physical aggressions in the West Philippine was a new phase of increased attempt at sowing FIMI.
Over the recent months, there was a noted increase in the presence of Chinese research vessels in the West Philippine Sea, conduct of dangerous and unprofessional air actions, blocking of medical evacuation from BRP Sierra Madre and continued Chinese intrusion in the West Philippine Sea.
“So, these activities mark an escalation by the Chinese Communist Party's agents in the maritime domain. And I mentioned previously that we have to expect not only this action on the maritime domain, but even foreign and domestic malign activities on land will escalate until 2028,” RAdm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday (October 13).
Trinidad explained that such actions are in fact part of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CPP) plan to confuse the domestic audience.
“Their objective is not even for us to believe them. The objective is for us not to believe anybody and to cause the populace to lose trust in government and government institutions such that magkakagulo tayo, maglabo-labo tayo (we mess up and divide),” Trinidad said.
According to Trinidadn, part of the rulebook of the CCP includes economic elite cooptation and political elite cooptation.
“If they could coopt a political leader and have him elected by building him up politically through foreign malign influence, they would have achieved their objective without firing a single shot,” Trinidad said.
Trinidad cited the case of former Bamban town mayor Alice Guo as a classic case of cooptation where a foreign national was elected in the local leadership which could also happen in the national level if FIMI and now domestic malign influence will not be combatted.
It is basically along this line that the electorate will have to be careful of data being released into the information domain that the AFP always monitors and addresses.
“We have given out reminders that before you click, always ensure that you are getting the news from authorized channels especially when it comes to our national security,” Trinidad said.
Trinidad also stressed that standing up for the country's maritime entitlements never meant sowing tensions.
“When you stand up for your maritime rights that are legally and rightfully yours, you are not a troublemaker. When another country would like to occupy your territory, would like to sow false narratives to advance their interests, they are creating trouble, not only domestically, but in the region,” Trinidad said.
