MANILA, Philippines – Dapat umanong maghanda ang Pilipinas at iba pang bansa sa Asya na bumuo ng alyansa at palakasin ang defense capabilities kaugnay sa mga aksyon ng China na kapareho umano ng ginagawa ng Russia sa Europa, ayon sa mga bumisitang Swedish lawmakers nitong Biyernes, Marso 7.
“I think that something to learn is to build alliances, build very close alliances with like-minded partners, real defensive capabilities, not be naïve, buy new weapons, build the defense capabilities and also de-risk to ensure independence,” sinabi ni Joar Forsell (Liberal Party), miyembro ng Foreign Affairs Committee ng Swedish parliament.
“Sweden has learned that you cannot be dependent on a country like Russia. They were threatening to turn off gas, for example, in order to control certain countries,” ayon pa kay Forsell.
Dahil dito ay dapat na maghanda ang mga bansa sa Asya na depensahan ang rehiyon mula sa posibleng mga suliranin kahit wala ang Washington. Matatandaan na ipinag-utos kasi ni U.S. President Donald Trump na bawasan ang security support ng Amerika sa mga kaalyadong bansa.
“Of course there is a lot of disappointment with a lot of things that have been said from the new American administration. Sometimes there’s one thing said and one being another,” ayon naman kay Magnus Berntsson (The Christian Democrats), isa ring mambabatas mula sa Sweden.
“Signatures on paper don’t count when big interests are there. Russia didn’t care and so that is a lesson and the question we have for ourselves now is making sure that we are building up our own security, making sure that we can ensure that we are strong supporters of Ukraine,” ani Kerstin Lundgren (Centre Party).
“This is the big aggressor with friends from China, support from China, North Korea Iran.”
Samantala, sinabi rin ni Linnea Wickman (Social Democratic Party) na ang pagbuo ng mga alyansa ay mahalaga “with everything that is happening in the world now and with a new Trump administration.”
Dapat na magtulungan ang Pilipinas, Sweden at iba pang alyansa para dumipensa sa isang rule-based world order.
“I feel like that’s like the most pressing issue at the moment,” pahayag ni Wickman.
“With so many uncertainties at the moment I think that’s what we need to do, to focus on.”
Nasa Pilipinas ang Swedish parliamentary delegation para tingnan ang posibilidad ng kooperasyon sa defense, security at trade.
Nakipagkita ang mga ito sa kanilang Filipino counterparts, at sa mga opisyal mula sa National Security Agency at Philippine Coast Guard para pag-usapan ang kasalukuyang security situation sa South China Sea.
Ayon kay Forsell, handa ang Sweden na makipagtulungan sa Pilipinas “in defending the freedom of navigation, in building security and make sure that you have the right equipment to defend yourself.”
“In some sense it’s the same conflict because China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, they’re working together against the rules-based world order and it’s against the Philippines, it’s against Sweden. It’s against Ukraine, it’s against Taiwan. We have to cooperate,” pagtatapos niya. RNT/JGC
