Malacañang said yesterday there is nothing it can do if Filipinos continue to distrust China but remains optimistic that someday the Asian giant will grow on Filipinos because of the benefits the Philippines is getting from the Chinese.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the statement following a Social Weather Stations survey showing that China is still the least trusted countries among Filipinos.
In the survey, the SWS found out that China plunged to even lower depths with a net trust rating of -33, nine points lower than the -24 in June this year.
Panelo said they are not surprised or affronted by the result of the survey which was conducted from Sept. 27 to 30.
However, he said they could not do anything about it and will respect the Filipinos’ feelings toward China.
“The Office of the President will neither court nor force any citizen to change his or her sentiments toward our giant neighbor in the north,” he said. “We will respect their conviction the way we value their allegiance to the Republic and its elements,” he added.
Panelo said the reason why Filipinos might not trust China is because of the dispute in the West Philippine Sea despite the maritime row not being the sum total of the Philippines’ relationship with China.
“The results…are foreseeable and understandable given the conflicting positions of China and our country relative to the West Philippine Sea,” he said.
However, the Palace official said they are keeping their fingers crossed that Filipinos will someday show more affection for China and may even get inspired by the Chinese. (Argyll Geducos)
