Yes, Philippines is what people called Cacique Democracy. It's controlled and share among the powerful families.
Yes
No if China coups them. Which will work once their confidence in the current govt is undermined
Copium Koh lol
You mean co-opt them, there is a reason why the Chinese mestizo restrict Hua Qiao from owning land, as per agreement with their colonial master they will be the one enforcing their DIKTAT. They don't want to share the pie with others, now the tables had turn those Hua Qiao had become traders and captain of the Industries, since they can't owned land they have to find some ways to make a living and many of them had become Taipans, overshadowing those mestizo. IF the Chinese want to increase their influence its easy to do just give those oligarch rent seekers some lucrative business venture and you see a change of heart, Already BYD had just sign a dealership deal with the Ayala group, others like Chery Motors had allied itself with the Alvarez Family, business and personal interaction is a way to bridge those gap and the Chinese are right not to respond from those stupid childish act, their maturity is what frustrated the American strategies of containment.
Like the Indians they want to show their 56 inch chest BUT like their inflatable boats it can easily puncture and lost a finger.
Off topic - just had a random image flashing past my eyes of a Cyberpunk style future Philippines, governed by competing mega-corporations after liberation from the US, where every Filipino aspires to be a BYD, Chery or Huawei employee.
With an employment crisis any work is welcome, many large Chinese corporation usually had JV with Filipino company, our constitution state a 60/40 split in favor of the Filipinos. These restriction is a way for the oligarch to control the economy cause any foreign investor need a strong local partner to survived this bureaucratic malaise. Now when you speak fluent mandarin you can demand a large salary, my daughter who is working at LSE (London Stock Exchange) is being paid a six figure salary, twice of what her supervisor is getting. It was a tremendous shift cause during my time speaking pretty English is a way to have a lucrative job,.
