US preparations for war against China, danger and harm to the Filipino people
The 40th Balikatan exercises to be held this April 21 to May 9 in North and West Luzon must be widely condemned and met with strong popular protests. This military exercise only serves the interests of US imperialism to ignite a war against China in the Asia Pacific. In return, the lives of the people are being put at risk and their livelihoods are being disrupted. Opposing Balikatan is opposing imperialism's war and defending the sovereign rights of the Filipino people.
The US is clearly using Balikatan to provoke China and prepare its position for the brewing war in Asia. The Balikatan Exercises sites face the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. It will be launched after Phase 1 of the Salaknib and Balikatan (SABAK) Exercises in the North and Central Luzon area. It will be participated by 14,000-15,000 troops of which 5000 are from the AFP, 9000 from the US, 200 from Australia, and Japan. Apart from these, representatives from 16 countries will be observers—Brunei, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, ROK, Singapore, Thailand, UK, and Vietnam.
The 40th Balikatan will feature full-battle tests in all combat domains—air, land, sea, space, and cyber. Its major component will be joint operations training in various military and civic operations. Within the framework of “joint operations,” the US and its allies aim to improve coordination and command-and-control of the US troops who will be training. The firing of the US-deployed Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), an anti-ship missile system, will also be featured. The troops will also practice using advanced unmanned surface vehicles or drones at sea for counterintelligence and surveillance operations.
In the wake of today’s colonial exercises, the livelihoods of fishermen in the region have certainly been damaged. Last year, tens of thousands of fishermen in Zambales, Ilocos Norte and Palawan were banned from sailing and deprived of their livelihoods for the entire duration of Balikatan from April 22-May 10. With the Balikatan and other US and AFP military exercises focusing on the WPS for several years, the dislocation it has caused in the homes and livelihoods of Palaweños, especially residents of Rizal town, is becoming almost permanent. Residents are also afraid and alarmed by the indiscriminate firing of cannons, missiles, shooting and explosions from the air, sea, etc. Last year, more than 100 residents of Barangay Kampong Ulay, Rizal were evacuated as a result of a live-fire exercise of HIMARS missiles.
The current Balikatan, like all the previous ones, is a manifestation of the US's semi-colonial control over the country to prepare its puppet troops for war and drag them wherever the US takes them. At the same time, it is familiarizing itself with the terrain of the Philippines' land and sea as a strategic position and military base that is important for its hegemony in the Asia-Pacific in partnership with Japan, South Korea and Australia. Now that the outbreak of war with rival China is imminent, the US is perfecting its design and preparation for war under the guise of maintaining peace in the South China Sea.
The exercise will be launched under the Trump regime, which is openly anti-China. Recently, his regime has once again identified China as the main competitor of the US today. It can be recalled that last month, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the country to ascertain the Marcos II regime's strict subservience to US interests against China.
Under Trump, the US has intensified its challenge to China’s armed presence in the WPS. The US has established Task Force Ayungin, which acts as Task Force West Philippine Sea and has direct control and command over AFP units deployed in the region, as well as its operations, including regular resupply missions to the Ayungin shoal. The US has also become more aggressive in launching joint patrols and operations with other allied countries such as Japan, continuously deploying troops throughout the Indo-Pacific region, weapons and other equipment not only of its own troops but also of its allied countries including the Philippines. Japan is now participating in routine naval patrols in the region using its warship, the Mogami-class frigate JS NOSHIRO (FFM 3). This is in line with Hegseth’s statement that “strength is gained through preparation for war” which is now being repeated as a mantra by AFP chief-of-staff Romeo Brawner.
The US is rapidly heating up tensions in the region with its repeated provocations against China using the Philippines and its other semi colonies and allies. This is in response to the steps and blatant calls of the AFP and the US-Marcos II regime regarding their support for the US-brewed war against China. Brawner himself recently announced that the Philippines will definitely be involved if war breaks out in Taiwan and that the Northern Luzon Command is being prepared in case it occurs. The military exercises being launched this year are certainly aimed at this framework.
What the Marcos Jr. regime is doing is treason against the people by granting greater and broader extra-territorial rights to the US military force under the guise of Balikatan and “cooperation” in defense. Marcos is already provoking the people into war, he is even allowing foreign troops to abuse and trample on the rights of Filipinos.
The people must do everything they can to prevent the Philippines from being dragged into a war between the US and China and using the Filipino people as pawns. Awaken the true patriotic spirit of the Filipino people against the imperialist interference and plunder of the US and China and fight the pretentious and US-leaning nationalism exemplified by Marcos and the puppet AFP.
The Marcos II regime's blatant subservience to US policies and interests, which is a clear betrayal of the country's freedom and independence, must be exposed and criticized. The anti-imperialist united front must be strengthened and expanded and large and powerful street protests must be launched to demand the annulment of the one-sided military agreements that bind the Philippines to the US; the expulsion of US troops, weapons and military facilities; resistance to US interference in the WPS issue and the Philippines' exclusive rights in the region, and so on. The key is widespread propaganda-education and agitation among the masses, especially among the Filipino youth. Instill in them patriotism and resistance to colonialism and imperialism. Strengthen the support of Filipinos and other peoples overseas for the anti-imperialist struggle of the Filipino people against US imperialism. Unite with the people of Asian countries, especially the Chinese people, to resist the US war plan and resolve the conflict in the WPS through diplomatic means.
In the countryside, the NPA's tactical offensives should target US and AFP puppet facilities that are causing harm to the people. This should be done by NPA units based on their capabilities and to serve the overall strengthening and rectification. This will serve as a clear message from the Party and the entire revolutionary movement that only a people's democratic revolution with a socialist perspective will overthrow imperialism and end its centuries-old control over the country.
Fight the US's increasing incitement to war against China!
Marcos, AFP, puppets!
US imperialism, will fail!
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