How Philippine bravery foiled China's cornerstone strategy

“Kill the chicken to scare the monkey” is among China’s cornerstone strategies to fulfill its hegemonic ambitions in the Indo-Pacific. It is derived from a Chinese proverb that refers to taking aggressive actions to subdue a weaker opponent to intimidate a larger, more powerful adversary. In this case, the weaker opponent is the Philippines and the larger adversary is the US.

- ANDREW J. MASIGAN

China has three objectives in employing this strategy.

The first is to send a signal to the other claimants of the South China Sea that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is willing to resort to aggressive actions to assert its claims.

The second is to pander to the Chinese population. See, there exists a social contract between the CCP and the Chinese people. In exchange for surrendering their rights and freedoms, the CCP guarantees increasing personal wealth for Chinese households. But with the Chinese economy now in shambles and personal wealth diminishing, the CCP has to show that it is doing something substantive for its people. Hence, reclaiming “historical territories” has become the national consolation prize.

Third and most significantly, to send a signal to the US that the CCP will not relent in its campaign for territorial expansion.

In pursuit of its strategy, China has waged increasingly aggressive attacks on Philippine vessels in both the Panatag and Ayungin Shoals. A total of 10 attacks have been recorded since August 2023, each with increasing intensity.

The worst attack happened in June 2024 when a Chinese Coast Guard vessel deliberately rammed a Philippine re-supply ship in Ayungin Shoal to block it from fulfilling its mission. Chinese coast guards boarded the Philippine ship, armed with axes and machetes, trashed Philippine equipment and ceased weapons and communication gadgets. One Filipino lost his thumb in the confrontation.