Harry Roque, a former Philippine congressman and former presidential spokesperson to president Rodrigo Duterte, recently expressed dissatisfaction at the series of legal maneuvers carried out by the current Philippine government regarding the South China Sea dispute in an interview with the Global Times in Manila.

He called on the Philippine government to seek diplomatic channels to resolve the dispute, as some of the legal measures taken do not, in fact, serve the interests of the Philippines. Stressing that the US will not get involved in the conflicts against China for the sake of Philippine interests, Harry Roque noted "It is a misplaced belief that the US, which our leaders consider as their big brother, will come to our assistance."

Roque is also a well-known international law professor, and is the former president of the Asian Society of International Law.

In March, the Philippine Senate passed the so-called Maritime Zones Act, attempting to solidify the illegal ruling of the 2016 arbitration case through domestic legislation, illegally including China's Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island) and most of the islands and reefs in the Nansha Islands and their related waters in its maritime zone.

Roque believes that this legal provision not only violates the Philippine Constitution, but also fundamentally goes against, and even betrays the interests of the Philippines, with its effect being more like "killing 1,000 enemy soldiers but losing 800 of your own."

"When the Philippine Congress passed the Philippine Archipelagic Baselines Law, I filed a case in the Supreme Court questioning its constitutionality, because the Philippine Constitution says that the water is between the islands of the Philippines are all internal waters. What the Archipelagic Baselines Law did was they made it into archipelagic waters, which is not only subject to innocent passage, but also subject to overflight. When under our Constitution, the water is in between our islands, our internal waters, and therefore not subject to innocent passage. Now the Maritime Zones Act makes it worse because it now acknowledges that we have lost tremendous amounts of internal waters," Roque told the Global Times.
As an example, Roque highlighted the case of Japan, and how it will never become an archipelagic state on their own clause because it will never consider waters between their islands as an archipelago, as archipelagic water is subject to innocent passage and overflight. Roque believes that both laws - the Archipelagic Baselines Law as well as the Maritime Zones Act - are both unconstitutional and run contrary to Article One of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines.

"All I'm saying is when we adopted the Archipelagic Baselines Law, we already gave up tremendous amounts of internal waters, which will also happen for the recently approved maritime zones bill. It's probably not a really good way for the politics. It's not in the wider national interest to lose so much of internal waters. It's not quite reasonable and wise, and it violates our very own Philippine Constitution," Roque underlined.

In addition to attempting to solidify the illegal ruling of the South China Sea arbitration case through domestic legislation, the current Philippine government is also preparing to launch a second arbitration case against China, citing environmental issues in the South China Sea, which Roque firmly opposes to.

"I was the one that suggested the South China Sea Arbitration the first time around, because I thought we needed to clarify maritime issues involving, specifically the existence of historic claims to waters. But after the arbitral tribunal was resolved, the arbitral proceedings, the way it did, I believe the way forward now is through diplomacy. You cannot solve all diplomatic issues through litigation. I think the remaining issues to be resolved now with China, including territorial disputes over islands, which remain unresolved, should be resolved diplomatically," Roque said.

He stressed that the issues between the Philippines and China are better resolved through negotiation and diplomacy rather than litigation. Especially since China has shown that it will not honor any decision unless it consents to the proceedings.

"I believe that the current Marcos administration knows that the reason why the Chinese are reacting the way they are doing the resupply missions to BRP Sierra Madre around Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea is because China has made it clear that they will only allow the delivery of food and water. China has been accusing the Philippines, but side and the Philippine side has not acknowledged the fact that that it has, in fact, been delivering construction and repair materials to the vessels," he told the Global Times.

"Now I think the current administration has to make up its mind about what is more important. The continuing presence of our men on board the Sierra Madre in a union provokes China into taking more aggressive action," said Roque.

Roque also offered a theory that there are elements within the Marcos administration that would want to provoke China further "because they want the US to be involved in the controversy through the Mutual Defense Treaty."

"I think they're dreaming because I don't think the US can be involved so in a third conflict, in addition to the ongoing Ukraine and Middle East conflicts now. And I don't think the US will risk its national interest involving China, its primary trading partner and main one debtor country, just to defend us over a shoal and rocks in the South China Sea," he said.

"So I think it is a misplaced belief that the US, which our leaders consider as their 'big brother,' will come to our assistance," he argued.

In a recent interview with the Philippine media ANC, Roque reiterated his view that it's unwise for the Philippines to deliver construction or repair materials to grounded vessel BRP Sierra Madre in a way that would provoke China.

"It is foolhardy for the Philippines to think that the US will in fact come to its rescue, because we lost Mischief Reef (Meiji Jiao), they didn't come to our rescue. We lost Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Dao), they did not come to our rescue. The Mutual Defense Treaty exists, whether or not of course the US will get involved militarily, will depend on their national interests. I don't think our dispute with China over this very derelict ship will warrant a military response from the United States," he said.

Roque also noted that the current Philippine government has taken a "'microphone diplomacy' that we want the whole world to hate China because they will be able to see what is happening to our soldiers, including those making the deliveries."

Roque argued that he didn't see the possible gains from that. "The whole world will be on our side? Fine. But will any one of them actually stand up to China when there is an actual armed conflict, a shooting war? I don't think so."

In response to the Global Times' question of whether China really poses a national security threat to the Philippines, Roque said, "Our history has shown that we fought a war with Spain; that we fought a war with the US; we fought a war with Japan, but we have never fought a war with China."

"We were desperate," said Chinese passengers who were stranded in Dubai airport for around 40 hours due to a record-breaking storm this week; and Chinese national who lived in the city said the downpour is "more serious to our lives than the Iran-Israel conflict." This rare and record-breaking rainfall in Dubai triggered debate in China on climate change, and how to cope with it.

"Never thought for once that I could be able to see such heavy flood in the desert city of Dubai and watching flights take off from the 'ocean,'" a passenger surnamed Wang told the Global Times on Thursday. Like many Chinese who were stranded in the airport in the past hours, Wang said she was offered with drinks and food. "All the hotels in nearby area were booked and chairs in the airport were occupied, so I had no choice but sat against the wall to rest," Wang said, describing the experience as "glimpsing into the life of a hobo." 

Several Chinese passengers reached by the Global Times complained about Emirates Airlines' chaotic management as it kept delaying the flights and canceled some flights after several hours of waiting.

Dubai Airport said on Thursday morning it had resumed receiving inbound flights at Terminal 1, used by foreign carriers, but that flights continue to be delayed and disrupted.

A Chinese national named Joanna Liang, who works in Dubai said that the impact of recent Iran-Israel conflict pales in comparison with the storm's influence on Dubai. "We were hiding in our apartment when the heavy rainfall arrived. The traffic was disrupted," Liang said. 

The storm, which hit neighboring Oman on Sunday, pounded the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday, flooding roads and causing hours-long gridlock as rainwater inundated homes. One person was reported dead in the UAE while 20 have died in Oman, Reuters reported. 

Flooding trapped residents in traffic, offices and homes as the UAE recorded its heaviest rains in the 75 years that records have been kept, authorities said.

The Chinese Consulate General in Dubai had activated emergency response mechanism, it said on Wednesday. As of now, there have been no reports of Chinese citizens being injured or killed. The consulate is currently working on assisting Chinese tourists who have sought help.

The National Center of Meteorology of UAE, a government taskforce responsible for cloud seeding missions in the country, denied reports that it carried out the weather modification technique in the run-up to heavy storms across the country, after discussion of whether cloud seeding was the culprit of the record rainfall gained momentum on internet. 

Chinese scientists also believed extreme weather has a bigger role to play in this record rainfall in desert nations.

Global warming increases the water vapor content in the atmosphere, thus the convection of the same strength will result in even stronger heavy rainfalls in a warmer atmosphere, Zhang Wenxia, a research fellow from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Global Times. 

Global warming may bring extreme weather events to regions where they have not typically occurred in the past, said Zhang, given the example of heavy rainfall in the usually dry Middle East. "Therefore, the world needs to prepare for emerging extreme events," Zhang noted. 

Pictures and videos of Dubai's downpour also gripped Chinese social media, with discussion focusing on the aggravating global warming, and how cities should cope with extreme weather events. "The city [Dubai]'s drainage system is simply not built for flood like this," Liang added.

Zhang believed that early warnings can play a significant role in helping cities during extreme weather events and reducing damage. She believed this is an area where Arab countries, and other developing countries can cooperate with China. 

Early warning system requires both equipment such as radar, and personnel with technical expertise, and China, a country with abundant experience and cutting-edge technology in this area, can offer a lot to help, said Zhang.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, the Chinese Embassy in the UK and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government have firmly refuted the UK's recent so-called six-monthly report on Hong Kong, which disregarded the facts and grossly interfered in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs.

On Monday, the UK government published its 54th six-monthly report on Hong Kong, continuing to use the Sino-British Joint Declaration as an excuse to defame One Country, Two Systems, the Hong Kong national security law, and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

In response to the so-called six-monthly report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at Tuesday's regular press briefing that it violates the principles of international law and the basic norms of international relations. China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the report, Lin said.

Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs. We urge the UK to respect the basic fact that Hong Kong returned to its motherland nearly 27 years ago, and the UK should stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and stop sheltering and condoning criminals and anti-Hong Kong destabilizers who undermine China's national security, Lin said.

On Monday, a spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in the UK said the Sino-British Joint Declaration does not give the UK any right to intervene in Hong Kong affairs. The Chinese government remains firmly resolved to safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests, in implementing One Country, Two Systems, and in opposing any external interference in Hong Kong's affairs.

Any negative voices trying to undermine HKSAR and spread pessimism will not shake the firm steps of One Country, Two Systems from moving steadily forward. The train of "Hong Kong" in the new era will advance unhindered, said a spokesperson from the Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR on Monday.

The UK is playing the same old trick again, but it should be well aware that it no longer has the right or strength to intervene in Hong Kong affairs, Gao Jian, director of the Center for British Studies at Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Stirring up the Hong Kong-related issue is one of the few ways the UK can create relevant public opinion and trouble for China in the overall development of the bilateral relationship. Moreover, stirring up the issue also caters to or satisfies a kind of pitiful vanity within the British domestic political circle, Gao said. "Overall, the UK's comprehensive ability to intervene in the Asia-Pacific region is gradually declining," said Gao.

In terms of the current overall national development trend and comprehensive national strength of the UK, "the weakening of its international status is an inevitable trend in the future." Furthermore, in terms of specific measures, the UK's policy toward HKSAR does not have real strong support, Gao said.

The Global Times has found that cognitive warfare tricks are used by external forces and anti-China elements to disrupt Hong Kong. These tactics involve attacking the management of the central government and the HKSAR government under the guise of "human rights, religious freedom violation" and badmouthing Hong Kong's economy.

According to our research, the basic tricks of UK's cognitive warfare include utilizing the international media outlets controlled by Western countries, which still have international media dominance, to hype up the National Security Law and related laws in the HKSAR, Gao noted. "The UK is trying to continue to salvage their remaining social influence in HKSAR," said Gao.

The HKSAR government also strongly condemned and rejected the wanton slander and political attacks which make up the UK's so-called six-monthly report. The UK's attempt to undermine the stability and prosperity of HKSAR is doomed to fail, the HKSAR government spokesman noted.

China's top legislator Zhao Leji, who led a Party and government delegation on an official goodwill visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), met with the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang on Saturday. 

Zhao, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, first conveyed kind regards and good wishes from Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, to Kim, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK.    

Zhao stated that, entrusted by Xi and the CPC Central Committee, he led a Party and government delegation to the DPRK for an official goodwill visit and attended the opening ceremony of the China-DPRK Friendship Year, receiving a warm reception from the DPRK. 

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the DPRK. China and the DPRK have been good neighbors for 75 years, fighting side by side, sharing a common future and promoting common development.

Under the new situation, China is ready to work with the DPRK to promote greater development of bilateral relations in accordance with the lofty will of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries and the common aspirations of the two peoples, Zhao said. 

Zhao pointed out that the friendship between China and the DPRK was built and nurtured by the older generations of revolutionaries of the two parties and two countries, enduring tests amid a volatile international situation, and is a precious treasure shared by both sides. 

The CPC and the Chinese government have always viewed China-DPRK relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, he said. "It is our unswerving policy to maintain, consolidate and develop the traditional friendly cooperative relations between China and the DPRK."

China is willing to work with the DPRK to achieve new results in bilateral practical and mutually beneficial cooperation under the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, continue to effectively support each other, and safeguard the common interests of both sides. China is willing to closely coordinate with the DPRK to jointly organize various activities of the China-DPRK Friendship Year, Zhao said.  

Zhao emphasized that China is striving to build the country into a strong nation and realize national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization in accordance with the strategic arrangements made at the 20th National Congress of the CPC. China is willing to strengthen development alignment and deepen bilateral cooperation with the DPRK, continuously enriching the depth of China-DPRK relations.

Kim asked Zhao to convey sincere greetings and good wishes to Xi.

It is the unswerving policy of the WPK and the DPRK government to consolidate and develop the traditional friendly cooperative relations between China and the DPRK, Kim said. 

The relations between the two countries are constantly developing to a higher stage in accordance with the requirements of the new era, he said.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and China and the China-DPRK Friendship Year. The DPRK is willing to strengthen cooperation in various fields and exchange experiences in governance with China, deepen traditional friendship, and write a new chapter in DPRK-China relations, Kim added.

Editor's Note:

The recent provocations made by the US, Japan, and the Philippines against China in the South China Sea reached a climax this week. The first "maritime cooperation activity" jointly performed with Australia and the first trilateral US-Japan-Philippines leaders' summit are widely seen as attempts to exert coercive pressure on China with the intent to ignite a powder keg of conflict in the South China Sea.

How do the people of the Philippines view their government's reliance on the US to stir up troubles in South China Sea? What will the Philippines' unilateral and dangerous moves bring to other ASEAN member states? With these questions, Global Times reporters went to the Philippines to speak with former senior officials, think tanks, and ordinary citizens.

"The Philippines should not adopt a one-sided foreign policy," "We fear the current government will lead the Philippines down a more dangerous path," and "Over-reliance on the US does not align with the ASEAN's principles of independence and neutrality" were the most common responses that reporters received during the visit.

This is the second installment in the series.
The US Embassy in the Philippines is located in a coastal area in Manila, which boasts the most beautiful beaches and waterfront promenades. A local tour guide told the Global Times that the US Embassy in the Philippines is one of the largest embassies among US missions abroad. It is closely connected to the Philippine Navy located in South Harbor in Manila and the Philippine Coast Guard Headquarters.

"The proximity means if there is any emergency, Americans can quickly escape under the protection of the Philippine military," said the guide.

Under the current Philippine government, the US' influence, which was once thought to be drifting away from the Philippines, is quickly coming back. Some Philippine analysts believe that the current Philippine government is creating friction in the South China Sea with the aim of boosting the presence of the US military in the Philippines. They believe that only by creating panic among the people can the US' military return to the Philippines "naturally."

However, the rapid transition from peace to turmoil in the Philippines has aroused strong dissatisfaction among Philippine politicians.

'We oppose increasing US military presence'

Former president Rodrigo Duterte has expressed concerns about US military presence in the Philippines on multiple occasions, believing that it will put the country in a dangerous position. He has stated that it would be pretty naive of or stupid for Filipinos to think that the Americans would only bring conventional warheads. But unfortunately, the Philippines granted the US wider access to military bases amid tensions with China in February.

The two countries not only plan to return the presence to Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Force Base, but also push an expansion reaching nine bases in total.

Ira Pozon, a Philippine lawyer, also the Legal Counsel to the former Philippine vice president, told the Global Times that the US' influence in the Philippines is deeply rooted, from the education system to the political system, with the Philippine parliament's bicameral system being modeled after that of the US. The names of many streets in the Philippines show the influence of the US and most Filipinos' understanding of China also comes from Western reports and narratives.

Pozon candidly said that the influence of the US on the Philippines has been strong since its founding. However, Filipinos have no intention of becoming enemies with China. On the contrary, they hope to become good, mutually understanding neighbors.

Rommel C. Banlaoi, president of Philippine Society for International Security Studies and the chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence, and Terrorism Research, told the Global Times that he believes it is one of the US' pieces of advice to the current Philippine government to pursue such kinds of confrontational action, especially in the context of what they call the "offensive transparency strategy" in the South China Sea.

"They have a way to give such kind of support to the Philippines. For example, as a result of President Marcos' decision to be closer with the US, the US decided to provide more military assistance funding to the Philippines, and the Philippine military can use this funding to train anybody to protect our interests in the South China Sea," he said.

Rommel C. Banlaoi is a renowned analyst on the South China Sea row, and was assigned to help advise the president on security matters in 2022. His experience has seen the Philippine government shift from neutrality to a clear bias toward the US.

"There are people opposing those decisions of increasing US military presence in the Philippines and I am one of them. The US wants to have a greater role in the area. We don't want to take sides with the US or China, but to take the side of our interests. Because of the decision of the current president to be closer to the US, we are becoming isolated from the ASEAN. Many ASEAN member states do not like what we are doing because it is running counter to the principle of the ASEAN of promoting the region as a zone of peace, freedom, and neutrality. The Philippines is no longer neutral because the Philippines has decided to become part of US strategy in the Pacific," said Banlaoi.

"The Philippines cannot be a truly proud, independent nation if we continue to rely on the US," Banlaoi stressed. "Our current government is heavily reliant on the US to advance our position in the South China Sea and that kind of reliance is truly hurting Philippines-China relations and is making it difficult to settle our disputes in the South China Sea."

Similar concerns are shared among current senior government officials as well.

On March 25, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 57. It's reported that the Executive Order was signed two days after the water cannon warning by the China Coast Guard against Philippine vessels near Renai Jiao, section 7 of which authorizes the National Maritime Center to "accept donations, contributions, grants, bequests, or gifts from domestic or foreign sources."

Philippine Senator Imee Marcos warned her brother, President Marcos Jr, against the Executive Order, which she said would welcome a "Trojan horse of foreign interference." "Emotion rather than reason has prevailed in our maritime conflict with China and is leading us down a dangerous path that will cost us more than just Filipino pride," she said in a statement on April 1, the Daily Tribune reported.

Imee Marcos reiterated that putting the lives of Filipinos in danger is a "gross irresponsibility and must be avoided at all costs." She also advocated for a proper dialogue with China.

Former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also said during the Boao Forum for Asia 2024 on March 27 that the Philippine government and people do not want war, and China is very important to Philippines.
'Confronting with China would be very bad for us'

During the visit, Global Times reporters noticed that symbols of China-Philippines friendship are still visible everywhere in Manila.

When asked about the must-visit places for Chinese tourists in Manila, locals recommended the St. Augustine Church, the oldest Catholic church in Manila. On either side of the church's entrance are several Chinese-style stone lions, clear proof that Chinese workers participated in the construction of the church. They are considered by many Filipinos to be symbols of China-Philippines friendship.

In addition, the "China-Philippines Friendship Gate" archway at the entrance of Manila Chinatown with distinct Chinese characteristics and the Manila Bridge built by China for the Philippines still hold a place in the hearts of locals.

However, Global Times reporters could also clearly feel that under the guidance of the current Philippine government, the Philippine media establishment has dissolved the friendly atmosphere between China and the Philippines. This has increased public sentiment for the two sides to engage in dialogue, rather than introducing risks from external sources.

Philippine college student Yuan Ross Rama told the Global Times that he feels the growing confrontation between the two governments and hopes that the two governments will peacefully resolve the dispute through dialogue. Ordinary people do not want to take sides between the two major powers, as ultimately it is the interests of the people and fishermen that will be harmed.Local tourism industry practitioners are also worried about the deterioration of China-Philippines relations. A local tour guide named Ryan told the Global Times that "the deterioration of bilateral relations has had a direct impact on me. In the first three months of this year, I received fewer Chinese tour groups than in a typical month."

He said that if there were no Chinese people doing business in the Philippines, the Philippine economy would incur huge losses. "Chinese people are very good at trade, which is exactly the ability that the Filipino people lack."

According to Ryan, during former president Duterte's tenure, there were relatively fewer people begging on the streets of Manila or making a living by wiping cars in the dense traffic. But now these people can be seen frequently. "I can't say that the wealth gap in the Philippines was much wider now, but at least at that time the government would set up some relief agencies to help them. Now, the Philippine government chooses to confront rather than cooperate with China, which is very bad for us."
'Manila's role as US pawn receives no regional support'

The Philippine government's unilateral actions have not just sparked concern among its own people. Scholars from many ASEAN countries have also told the Global Times that they are worried that their own countries will be forced to take sides, or that current tensions will affect their bilateral cooperation with China.

"We are concerned that the worsening China-Philippines relations will have a negative impact on the projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Malaysia and the cooperation mechanism proposed by China in Southeast Asia," Ong Tee Keat, former Malaysian minister of transport, told the Global Times.

Any military posture and provocative remarks made by any party under the instigation of external forces should not be allowed to undermine the overall mutually beneficial partnership between China and the ASEAN, said Ong Tee Keat.

There's no necessity for the ASEAN to appoint a spokesperson that represents an external power, including the US, Dato' Abdul Majit bin Ahmad Khan, president of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association, and also former Malaysian ambassador to China, told the Global Times in a recent interview.

"There has always been the intention of the ASEAN, China, and also other countries to ensure that the South China Sea remains a region of peace and stability. It's in our interest that things should not get toxic, because then it will affect our development efforts and the harmonious relationship that we have built over the past years. I believe all ASEAN member countries and China want to see peace in the region so that we can pursue development for our people," said Majit.

Malaysia's Prime Minister, on March 4, spoke up in defense of ties with China and rebuffed alleged pressure by the US and its allies on regional nations to take sides in the West's strategic rivalries with Beijing, the South China Morning Post reported. Anwar Ibrahim also said the risk of conflict in the South China Sea had been exaggerated.

Peng Nian, director of the Hong Kong Research Center for Asian Studies (RCAS), told the Global Times that except for the Philippines, other ASEAN countries are unwilling to "take sides" in this geopolitical competition. He said that what worries ASEAN countries is that the maritime dispute between China and the Philippines may escalate into a local military confrontation, threatening the peace and prosperity of the region.

Peng noted that countries like Vietnam have not followed the Philippines in provoking the South China Sea issue in the last two years. Obviously, the Philippines is acting as a "pawn" for the US, but not receiving support from regional countries.

In a recent survey in Southeast Asia - the State of Southeast Asia 2024 Survey Report - China became the respondents' "top choice" for an alliance if the ASEAN were forced to align with one of its strategic rivals (such as the US or China) for the first time since 2020.

The majority of respondents believe that Southeast Asian countries' relationship with China is improving, while confidence in the US as a strategic partner and provider of regional security has declined significantly.

A recent wave of visits by state leader and senior foreign affair officials to China has been witnessed among ASEAN member states, which is believed to be a true reflection of China-ASEAN relations growing closer, as well as a vivid practice of regional countries yearning for peace and seeking development.

"If you look at the trend in the region, all ASEAN countries except the Philippines are seeking balanced relations between these two great powers, but the Philippines is becoming more and more pro-American. The interests of the Philippines are the interests of the Filipino people, and the interests of the Filipino people are tied in with the interests of the ASEAN," said Banlaoi.

Zheng Kexin contributed to the story

There are no winners in war and no losers in peace. Future generations must bear in mind that mistakes in history must never be repeated, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party (KMT) Ma Ying-jeou said on Monday, as he and members of a Taiwan youth delegation arrived in Beijing, the final stop of their mainland visit. 

Ma made the remarks during a visit to the Memorial Hall of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the adjacent Lugou Bridge. The Lugou Bridge Incident,also known as the July 7 Incident, taking place on July 7, 1937, is recognized as the start of Japan's full-scale invasion of China. 

Recalling history, Ma said that on both sides of the Taiwan Straits - on the Chinese mainland and in Taiwan island - people were bullied and persecuted by Japanese invaders and suffered heavy casualties, according to Taiwan media reports on Monday. 

Ma said that the purpose of commemorating the Victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression is to remember the sacrifices made by the martyrs. He said future generations should learn from the lessons of history, be self-reliant, and revitalize the Chinese nation.

People on both sides of the Straits are descendants of the same ancestors, and we must learn to peacefully resolve disputes and seek happiness and peace for mankind, Ma noted. 

Zheng Fulai, 93-year-old, also spoke with Ma on Monday at the Lugou Bridge. Zheng is a survivor of the July 7 Incident, which took place when he was six. He told Ma that history itself is the best textbook, and he asked Ma to tell the Taiwan compatriots to come back home [to the motherland] more often.

Wang Jianmin, a senior cross-Straits expert at Minnan Normal University in Fujian, told the Global Times on Monday that Ma chosethe Lugou Bridge and the memorial hall as the first stop of his incumbent visit in Beijing, as both the bridge and the memorial hall are of great historical significance to the whole Chinese nation. 

This is the embodiment of Ma's profound affections for the Chinese nation, but also his proper view of history, values and peace, Wang said.

The Lugou Bridge Incident is a landmark event in the Chinese nation's resistance against Japanese aggression. Ma's visit shows that he hopes people on both sides of the Straits will remember the strong and unyielding spirit of the Chinese nation while understanding the sufferings, Wang remarked. 

Wang said Ma's visit on Monday afternoon to the Palace Museum, the representative of the thousand-year civilization of the Chinese nation, plays an important role in promoting cultural exchanges between the two sides of Taiwan Straits. 

Ma came to Beijing from Xi'an on Sunday afternoon, accompanied by vice director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office Qiu Kaiming via a high-speed train journey. Pan Xianzhang, another vice director of Taiwan Affairs Office, greeted Ma at a train station in Beijing.

Analysts said that when Ma first came to the mainland in 2023, he did not choose Beijing as his destination in order to lower political sensitivity and avoid obstruction by the Democratic Progressive Party, which was in full power at the time. While Ma's ongoing mainland trip came at the time of the handover of political power in the island of Taiwan, cross-Straits tensions continue. Picking Beijing as a destination, to some extent, also represents the expectations for peace and stability in cross-Straits relations from Taiwan compatriots.

"Beijing is the political and cultural center of China, and visiting Beijing itself carries great political significance for Ma," Wang said. "It means the possibility of meeting with mainland leaders to talk about the past and future of cross-Strait relations, the revitalization of the Chinese nation, and the inheritance and development of Chinese culture."

Upon mutual agreement between China and the US, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will visit China from April 4-9, according to the Ministry of Finance.

In the latest move by Washington in its strategy of "using Taiwan to contain the Chinese mainland," Laura Rosenberger, chair of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) met with Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen and vice leader Lai Ching-te during a week-long visit to the island.

As Lai is set to assume office as the next regional leader in the island in May, the ongoing trip, which is Rosenberger's fifth visit to the region since becoming AIT chair in March 2023, is expected to set some ground rules with the new leader and tighten Washington's control over the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) during the transition of power. Maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Straits will be most beneficial for American interests, according to mainland analysts.

Taiwan's local media reported that Lai met with Rosenberger on Monday and invited her to attend the inauguration ceremony on May 20. Rosenberger expressed her hope that Lai will continue to work to maintain the status quo across the Straits, according to Taiwan based-media.

Also, Rosenberger claimed that the US' commitment to the island is rock-solid, principled, and bipartisan.

During talks with Tsai and Lai, the American politician noted that it is hoped that Taiwan authorities can maintain sufficient self-defense capability.

Chinese analysts pointed out that for the US, while it tolerates some "Taiwan independence" forces in the island within certain limits, it does not want Taiwan separatists to seriously provoke the mainland, as that would jeopardize American interests.

Recently, the US has been promoting the idea of "a mainland attack on Taiwan," escalating tensions across the Straits. This theme was continued in Rosenberger's emphasis on Taiwan's efforts to enhance its defense resilience, analysts said.

It shows the US' desire for the island to purchase weapons, equipment, and technology, through which the US can not only make money but also promote its strategy of "using Taiwan to counter the Chinese mainland," Wang Jianmin, a senior cross-Straits expert at Minnan Normal University in Fujian, told the Global Times on Monday.

Wang said that the purpose of Rosenberger's Taiwan trip is obvious as Washington aims to tighten its control over Taiwan, while building influence over Taiwan's political landscape.

Following the recent regional election, the opposition Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party has once again become the largest party in in the island's "legislature," according to media reports.

However, although Washington stressed its commitment to the island is rock-solid, a stalled US bill on military aid to Ukraine has raised concerns among DPP authorities. Chinese mainland analysts revealed that DPP authorities are worried about potentially being "abandoned" by the US in the future.

Under the guise of supporting Taiwan's "democracy," the US is actually wary of potential major incidents under Lai, and hopes to ensure that Taiwan does not stray beyond the boundaries set by the US or create further serious trouble in the Straits, Wang said.

In the event of a major crisis or conflict that is not in the interests of the US, maintaining the status quo across the Straits would be most beneficial to American interests, Wang explained.

The timing of Rosenberger's Taiwan visit coincided with former Taiwan regional leader Ma Ying-jeou's visit to the Chinese mainland but the two trips are expected to have the opposite effect, analysts noted.

Ma on Monday departed with a student delegation on an 11-day trip to the mainland, which he said will be used to deliver a message of friendship and peace, Taiwan's local media reported.

Ma's visit to the mainland is expected to help improve relations across the Straits, which is welcomed by people on both sides. Conversely, American politicians' visits to Taiwan violate the one-China principle, disrupt cross-Straits exchanges, hinder peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, and exacerbate tensions in the Straits, according to Wang.

The expert warned that it is likely that the frequency of mutual visits between US politicians and those from Taiwan will increase.

The trend toward closer and stronger illegal relations between the US and the island is unlikely to change in the short term, with cooperation in economy, technology, and security and military fields likely to increase, posing one of the biggest risks for the future of the Taiwan Straits, Wang said.

In recent days, the China Meteorological Administration issued a warning for a geomagnetic storm, sparking attention from the public. Many netizens jokingly blamed their insomnia, bad luck, and nightmares on the geomagnetic storm, claiming it was the cause of all their misfortunes. 

But is this really the case? Expert answers may disappoint many.

In fact, geomagnetic storms do not have a significant impact on human health. "The Earth's magnetic field acts as a protective layer, preventing direct solar activity from affecting the Earth's surface. Many forms of energy and substances are blocked by the magnetic field," said Rong Zhaojin, researcher at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, using the analogy of the Earth's magnetic field being like the immune system, with geomagnetic storms being a form of "immune response" to solar substances, Chinese media reported.

For example, regarding patients with implanted cardiovascular diseases and pacemakers, Yan Lai Xing, deputy chief physician of the cardiovascular department at Shulan Hospital in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, stated that there is currently no research indicating that geomagnetic storms would affect the normal functioning of pacemakers.

"Furthermore, in the case of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the MRI machine itself has shielding devices to prevent electromagnetic interference," said Chu Yonghua, director of the clinical medical engineering department at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University.

During peak years of solar activity, the frequency of solar eruptions also increases. This year, the number of sunspots is expected to peak, leading to a higher frequency of geomagnetic storms.

Despite detailed explanations from experts, many netizens still claim that their recent physical discomfort and bad luck are due to the geomagnetic storm.

A netizen said, "I feel dizzy and sleepy, this must be the reason for the storm. I used to be a healthy girl."  Another even joked, "I got a pay cut recently, and it must be due to the effects of the geomagnetic storm."

Experts suggest that the online discussion sparked by the geomagnetic storm reflects the public's curiosity and attention to natural phenomena, but also exposes some netizens' tendency to seek external factors to blame when facing life's challenges. 

They advise netizens not to blindly follow trends or overinterpret such news. Instead, they should pay attention to information released through official channels to obtain more accurate and comprehensive scientific knowledge of the natural phenomenon.

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed economic globalization may encounter headwinds, but the historical trend will not change, during his Wednesday meeting with visiting Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, and reiterated China's commitment to mutual benefits and win-win approach. 

Observers believe the high-level meeting and Rutte's two-day working visit from Tuesday can inject positive impetus into bilateral relations and stabilize the big picture amid challenges from the Dutch export ban on chip machines to China. 

Against the backdrop of mounting pressure from the US and ASML's dilemma to run its business, the Dutch government should carefully balance the interests of different parties and remain pragmatic, analysts said, noting a country that flourished through free trade should not abandon such tradition.  

Noting the Netherlands has become a veritable "gateway" for China-EU cooperation, Xi said China is ready to maintain exchanges at various levels with the Netherlands, adhere to communications and dialogue, and pursue mutual benefits and win-win results, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

There is no way out for "decoupling and de-risking," and open cooperation is the only choice, Xi said. 

The Chinese people also have legitimate development rights, and no force can stop the pace of China's scientific and technological progress, said Xi, adding China will continue to pursue a win-win approach, open wider to the outside world at a high level, and share development dividends with all parties. 

Rutte said that "decoupling" is not the policy option of Dutch government, as actions harming China's development interests will ultimately hurt the Netherlands.

Xi and Rutte last met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali in November 2022. 

Dutch Trade and Development Minister Geoffrey van Leeuwen who is in the delegation said on Tuesday that defending the interests of ASML is his "number one" priority.

The high-level interaction between the two countries at this crucial juncture helps tackle kinks in the bilateral ties, stabilizing and injecting impetus into further development of the relationship, analysts said. 

Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Institute of European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the Dutch government is walking a tightrope, as pressure from the US is mounting while ASML is demanding more support for its business.

The chip machine giant has threatened to leave the Netherlands, citing anti-migration policies. Observers believe export bans imposed under US pressure will also cast a shadow over the company's performance and add to the push. 

Zhao pointed out that the bans not only harm the semiconductor giant and jeopardize China-Netherlands trade cooperation and economic ties, but also put a question mark on the country's business climate. 

Despite the skirmish over chip machines, the two countries maintain pragmatic cooperation in many fields, including green and low-carbon economy, silver economy, and climate change response, analysts said.

China has granted Dutch citizens visa-free status for short trips since December 1, 2023 to facilitate personnel exchanges. Rutte on Wednesday also visited the prestigious Peking University and communicated with students. 

During the Wednesday meeting, Xi urged the two sides to promote traditional cooperation in such fields as agriculture, water conservancy and energy, and tap the potential of cooperation in artificial intelligence, green transformation and silver economy, among others.

He also expressed the hope that the two countries will continue to take more measures to facilitate personnel exchanges and encourage educational, cultural and sub-national exchanges.