Scattered thoughts on the Scarborough scene: Chinese lessons, discretion, and showiness

小心一点 (Xiao xin yi dian) – Be a little bit careful, about what you’re saying. These words were reportedly presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda’s response to a commentary in a Chinese newspaper that the Philippines is orchestrating a plot to stir up tensions in the dispute over the West Philippine Sea, or South China Sea. Of particular interests in this area of responsibility is Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal, which has obviously put a sizable dent in Sino-Philippine relations.


[Photo courtesy News.com.au.]

Just for fun, why don’t we join Edwin Lacierda and throw a few words in Chinese around?

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First one: 阿基诺三世总统失败了! (a ji nuo san shi zong tong shi bai le!) – President (Noynoy) Aquino the 3rd has been a failure!

In the name of “nationalism” or “protecting our national interests” or what have you, the government of our “dear leader” president Noynoy Aquino (PNoy) had somewhere along the way adopted a belligerent stance towards China. Mmm, not a very smart move, if you ask me. Crossing a nation that is on the rise to economic superpower status? Check. Crossing one of our biggest trading partners? Check!

Then again, diplomacy was never PNoy’s strong point; for two years in the spotlight he has shown no finesse in handling any opinion of displeasure towards his handling of various situations. He can’t handle his local critics, did we expect him to fare any better with international criticism, for example that sloppy handling of the Mendoza hostage case? Don’t expect the Chinese to forget that anytime soon.

Second phrase: 有时候沉默更好 (you shi hou chen mo geng hao) – Sometimes silence is better.

Not an easy thing for the likes of PNoy to grasp. Remember that especially for local politics he has shown inability in keeping his mouth shut. Let’s not forget the very reason that China got PO’ed again recently: because PNoy said he was considering requesting US spy planes to help monitor the West Philippine Sea.

That is exactly what got the Chinese government’s goat: that the Philippines has once again been trying to involve the United States in what is essentially a situation between the two countries. The Chinese don’t want to engage the US, and the US wants to remain neutral. We’re not helping the situation by playing the victim card and crying out for other Asian nations to assist in our case, either. The Philippines, however, the spoiled-brat nation that it is, immediately ran to hide behind Uncle Sam’s pants. “My Uncle Sam will make palo your pwet and silip-silip if you mess with me!” This is the message that PNoy is sending to Beijing whether he is aware of it or not.

While I agree that it’s high time we did naval and military upgrading, the question is: why only now when there’s a crisis staring us in the face, and why do it so…boorishly and loudly? Obviously PNoy should have known that saber-rattling towards an opponent who’s bigger, stronger, better-armed, and especially one you are economically dependent on, will not work. Besides, there’s such a thing as “secret re-armament”, but hey, it’s PNoy’s way or the highway, and we’re all on the highway…to hell.

By the way, PNoy sounded very confident that the US will give him what he wants. Keep in mind the official US stance is neutrality. They didn’t promise anything, therefore we shouldn’t get mad at them for not helping, much like we shouldn’t get mad at Jessica Sanchez for not singing the Philippine national anthem. We should be mad at PNoy for being so cocky and arrogant that we run a risk of being bombed to smithereens.

Third phrase: 菲律宾是笨蛋的国家 (fei lü bin shi ben dan de guo jia) – The Philippines is a country of idiots!

I don’t think we can get any clearer than this, can we? Why don’t we cite a few examples to illustrate our point?

First off, despite PNoy’s loud and clear message that he had considered asking for US spy planes, he denied it soon afterwards and quibbled on semantics. Ok fine, whatever. PNoy got caught with his foot in his mouth and his face in his ass and he expects people to believe him.

Secondly, too late the action, but apparently PNoy has asked to keep future government plans for the Scarborough scene secret. He only realized now that it was a big mistake to keep blabbing? Uhm, isn’t that what the government should have been doing long ago? He only realized now that the collective big mouth of Philippine media and his flunkies has gotten us in hot water more than once? Sigh, four more years of stupidity to go, I keep telling myself. Loose lips sink ships.

Third, the short-sighted thinking of certain Filipino citizens has yet presented another thing that could blow up the tension. I don’t know if they were thinking of that when they made their statements. I don’t know if Senator Gringo Honasan asking for a US military presence was a joke or not. The US does not want to get involved, and China doesn’t want the US in it, what is so hard to understand about that?

If you ask me, the best role that the US or any other third party can play in this stand-off is mediator, meaning someone who can sponsor negotiation talks between the opposing parties. But asking the US to deploy ships? Whether we mean it to be or not, that’s an act of provocation we don’t need.

What exactly was Carlos Celdran thinking (and drinking) with that ridiculous stunt he pulled? Kiss our 98 million asses, China? Did he even consider that if this spreads among Chinese, they may take it sensitively? Did he even consider that many Pinoys are gullible enough to think that that was real? He even claims that he shouldn’t be given too much credit. Well, I think someone has to tell Mr. Celdran that one of the hardest skills to learn in life is knowing when to shut up, and he certainly didn’t do so there.

Interesting side note: the Chinese sound approximation for the Philippines is 菲律宾, fei lü bin. The first character means poor, the second means law, and the third refers to guest, so put them together, you get “poor law guest”, or “unruly guest”. I’m pretty sure that the Chinese didn’t mean it to come out that way, but it’s not too far off the mark to describe us as a people, is it?

In conclusion, the PNoy government has not really handled the situation with China very well. They already lost a lot of their lian 脸, face, with the Chinese government from the Mendoza hostage situation. Expect them to lose what little they have left here, because instead of seeking a diplomatic solution to this crisis, PNoy instead chose saber-rattling. Instead of working with China to keep this incident from attracting too much attention, PNoy sent the country running to Uncle Sam.

Now that dealing with the Philippines has become more trouble than it’s worth for both China and the US, we may just find ourselves one day with no allies and with a very eager China to level us to the ground, just because it can. Malacañang is indeed making it easier for Beijing to control all the leverage against us.

Perhaps the PNoy government should have taken its own advice to the Chinese newspaper, 小心一点 (Xiao xin yi dian) – be a little bit careful, about everything.

39 Replies to “Scattered thoughts on the Scarborough scene: Chinese lessons, discretion, and showiness”

  1. If Gloria didnt use the billions of our funds to bribe the AFP generals to protect her and instead purchase it of weapons of mass destruction, the trouble with China wont happen. Now we are struggling from her selfishness.

    1. Meh, you don’t even have any EVIDENCE as usual and you still keep on babbling about that unproven allegation.
      Get a life kid, stop sniffing solvents and GET A JOB.

    2. The more that you defend your stupid president, the more that we will continue to BASH your WEAK arguments.

    3. HERP DURP! The corruption in the AFP long exists before GMA so you failed.

      Requesting for deletion. This guy doesn’t make sense. You’re more selfish than GMA. I have proof. 😛

    4. Well well well, as usual you’re still making baseless accusations, and still refusing to back up your claims with solid proof.

      Tell you what, since you mentioned weapons of mass destruction, why don’t we talk about the WMD’s that your sponsors the Aquino family has at its disposal. Yes I’m referring to the mass media, they contributed to the mass destruction of the Filipino mind.

      1. Don’t ever count on it. Because Fishball is nothing but a total sissy boy who acts like a 15 year old with no balls. Only fishballs (pardon the pun). 😛

        1. Your president has no achievements to show for the past 2 years and yet you are still defending him.

          Use your f*cking brain for once fishball!

          You don’t even realize that you have been fooled by the Aquinos for the past 26 years!

        2. Anonymous: you don’t consider two year blooper reel an accomplishment? like laughing at hostage handling press con, laughing at jokes during typhoon crisis, firing weather man, rise of noynoying, telling Congress to sign something without reading, Telling Corona to resign publically circumventing due process., fabricated pictures of him working in response to noynoying accusation. That is one big blooper reel for the books. Yup, I am really confident of our fearless leader Noynoy BS Aquino.

        3. Gogs:
          Dude,that is more of an achievement in IGNORANCE and STUPIDITY than a REAL achievement that is actually USEFUL.

        4. @Gogs

          Comedy is an achievement but when it is bad like telling a really god-awful joke (like the ones on goin bullshit), it isn’t considered comedy anymore but it makes you wanna bash your head to smithereens on how GOD-AWFUL they are.

        5. @Anonymous but wouldn’t you agree that is a decent screen play for the blooper reel? And I provided it for some aspiring film maker out there for free. The thing is B.S. Aquino gives you lots of material for a blooper reel regardless of what the Yellow army believes or claims.

    5. Gogs, i agree with you about the whole blooper reel thing but we just need to expose all of PNoy’s screwups to our countrymen so that they will be freed from their 26 years of being brainwashed by the sinister yellow media.

  2. The last time I look, the Philippines is still a democratic and free country. Nothing in what she or her president does violates any local or international law with regard to the disputed areas. For that I think everything is still above board.

    With regard to China, the article implies that we should not mess with China. We should be afraid of her. Not rock the boat, etc. for she might ‘level us to the ground’. It’s a simple and clear threat or reminder of what could possibly happen to us if the writer’s inkling would come to pass. That is how barbaric China is, so be very careful and be afraid.

    My take on that is, only a shooting war or military confrontation in the area will force the mighty China to resort to heavy-handed tactics against PH. Verbal wrestling is just a prelude to whatever negotiation is in the offing.

    1. I think the Chinese know what some of us already know. That Noynoy is a stumbling, clueless, awkward buffoon. They won’t fire a shot but they will expose BS Aquino for who he is to all those in denial in this country .

      1. And when that happens, PNot’s wall of lies will come crashing down on top of him and he won’t be able to escape his fate of being ousted.

        1. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if PNoy manages to get himself ousted due to his stupidity and incompetence.

    2. I don’t even think Noynoy is even material to the main issue at hand. Expectedly, his critics will have fun time targeting him for possible faux pas or diplomatic gaffe in the course of anticipated verbal exchanges, officially or unofficially, among claimants. But it’s really irrelevant to the main objective of the country.

      The controversial issue will definitely stretch out his terms and it is highly likely even extend up to two, three or even more presidents to be resolved, if ever.

      Nothing Noynoy will do will ever endear him nor be repulsive with China. He is not the issue. Geography is.

      1. Right. China doesn’t care who the leader of the country is, they just want those islands, and the potential resources surround and under them.

      2. I don’t get it, you palace trolls take credit for anything remotely positive on behalf of your master but when he paints himself into a corner and does everything wrong as far as diplomacy it’s not his fault and it’s like he is not even there?

    3. The last time I look, the Philippines is still a democratic and free country.

      If that’s true why does Malacanang care what we write in this site called get Real Philippines. Sanjo, Jonas, Fishball/ Kris , Jek and all the other ids that basically sprout propoganda on behalf and on the employ of the Chosen One ( he is sure as hell ain’t the Qualified one). Unlike 95% of the people here including the contributors , you are not here of your own free will. You are not here for enjoyment. You are here out of misguided loyalty to the one who pole vaulted over his mother’s corpse into what is now your employer. You cry victim when you are appropriately banned. Like I said before why is it so important for you to be here if you disagree with our premise? The answer is you have to be here. There is no way you would do this out of the goodness of your heart. Defend a career good for nothing. The truth shall set you free, and the truth is your cult leader was an unconconscious incompetent for the first fifty years of his life and sitting in Malacanang did not change that. Your continous presence here just suggests you are under some obligation unlike the rest of us.

      1. The idea to cast me as a Noynoy supporter, hence should be barred from here, runs counter to the logic that a weak reason can easily be defeated by a superior one. Why ban someone just because you disagree him? Why defeat the main purpose of this blog? To agree to disagree?

        Contrary to your allegation, I am here on my free will.

        If you think, by focusing on the other angles of the issue and sharing contrary opinion, I’m defending Noynoy, you are free to respond and contradict me. Allegation without basis is a poor response to an open and direct expression of one’s thought.

        Let the pro-Noynoy defend their boss. Let them dish out their weak and self-serving propaganda for you to bury them with your truths and facts. Just leave me on my own. I’m here for the issues and not for anything else. If you want to attack the message, go ahead, just spare the messenger.

        1. Because as far as I’ve known, Aquino apologists always spout empty words and platitudes. In other words, worshipping them as demigods.

          Victim mentality is cool, isn’t it?

        2. Kapal din ng mukha nito ni Jonas. Do not attack the messenger daw. You must be delusional. You were spammed here before for attacking some of the writers and yet you now have the nerve to cry foul. You are such a hypocrite.

          The reason why it is obvious that you are defending PNoy is so simple. You don’t even acknowledge that your idol hasn’t done anything different from the previous admin aside from his “wang-wang” policy.

        3. “The reason why it is obvious that you are defending PNoy is so simple. You don’t even acknowledge that your idol hasn’t done anything different from the previous admin aside from his “wang-wang” policy.”

          – Where is the proof of that allegation? That is the problem.

        4. So you want proof that you have not acknowledged that PNoy hasn’t done anything different from previous admin? Gamitin mo nga utak mo.

        5. Let’s discuss the issue. The topic is there. Don’t just accuse and allege, support it with something substantial.

          I’m afraid I have to pass if the discussion will go down the drain because of uncontrolled temper.

        6. Give us some proof that you are not a rabid PNoy supporter by acknowledging that he hasn’t done anything different from the previous admin.

  3. There is a Chinese phrase very appropriate for Noynoy – 成事不足 败事有余 – Not enough to accomplish matters, but always has spare to screw things up.

  4. Look at the picture at the end of the article. The Chinese text on top reads 信心 (xin xin) – confidence.

    The question is, in leading the Philippine government with such a display of bravado against the Chinese government, just exactly what did PNoy show?

    Confidence (信心, xin xin), or Arrogance (傲慢, ao man)?

  5. “The Philippines is a country of idiots”…I don’t agree with the tag placed on us. “The Philippines is a country led by idiot leaders”…this I agree 100%. This was the “nuclear fallout” of the Mendoza Hostage Incident. The Chinese has to get even with the coward and idiot President, Noynoy Aquino. The Ricky “Spy Plane” Carandang announcement. The Honasan statement…etc…are all nonsense and stupidities. We have many OFW slave workers in China. Many OFW Filipino Drug Mules, in their jails. Some were executed. Binay, the other idiot went to plead for their lives. The Chinese are aware that we are at disadvantage. The U.S. will never defend us, for a few uninhabited islands. We have to defend ourselves. As I said earlier…Diplomacy will never work, because, we are at a disadvantage. I blame it all, to this idiot President: Noynoy Aquino, and his equally idiot Vice President: Binay…

    1. I know it, my best friend in the university in the U.S., was a Chinese from Hong Kong. He attended Oxford University in England. He was very nice, very educated and very civilized. However, the rulers of China; their policies must be followed. Hong Kong is like the tail, that wags the Chinese dog’s body…

  6. Don’t forget that one of PersiNoynoy’s first international action was to boycott the Oslo Peace Prize ceremonies. Beijing asked him and PersiNoynoy said “Sir!!yes, sir!!!” to Beijing.

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