By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter
A VAST majority of Filipinos distrust China and view it as the country’s “greatest threat,” according to an OCTA Research survey released Monday, highlighting growing public unease over tensions in the South China Sea.
The July poll found that 85% of Filipinos don’t trust China, with respondents from the Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Bicol and Caraga regions registering unanimous distrust. In Metro Manila and Luzon, nine of 10 said they distrust Beijing, while skepticism was also high in the Visayas (77%) and Mindanao (84%).
Wariness of China cut across socioeconomic classes, peaking at 90% among lower-income Filipinos, followed by 85% among middle-income and 80% in upper-income groups.
About 74% of Filipinos identified China as the greatest threat to the Philippines, with two-thirds citing Beijing’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea as the primary reason. Other factors included the entry of smuggled goods (13%), crimes linked to Chinese nationals (9%) and job competition (8%).
“The survey findings highlight a multi-dimensional distrust toward China,” OCTA said in the report. “Filipinos not only view China as a direct threat to the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also express concerns about its economic activities and social impact on local industries and communities.”
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea based on a 1940s map, overlapping with the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. A United Nations-backed tribunal based in The Hague voided Beijing’s claim in 2016, but China has rejected the decision and continues to maintain a strong presence in contested areas.
The survey also found that 76% of Filipinos back government efforts to push back against China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea, with only 3% opposed and 19% undecided. Support was highest in Metro Manila (89%), followed by Mindanao (86%), the Visayas (78%) and Luzon (67%).
Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent T. Trinidad, the military’s spokesman on the South China Sea, said the findings show broad public support for defending sovereignty.
“It adds more legitimacy to our stand when you know you have the backing of the vast majority of our people,” he told reporters. “Issues in the West Philippine Sea are the greatest threat to our existence as a republic that we all have to face together.”
The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.
OCTA interviewed 1,200 adults nationwide from July 12 to 17 for the survey, which had an error margin of ±3 points.