No to the escalation of war! No to war against the Chinese people! French troops out of the South China Sea!

Joint statement by the Workers’ Party /Parti des travailleurs (France) and the Partido Manggagawa (Philippines)

⦁ On 21 April, 11,000 American soldiers and 5,000 Filipino military personnel engaged in joint military manoeuvres with Operation Balikatan. For the first time, these manoeuvres are taking place beyond Philippine territorial waters towards China.

For the first time, French troops (as well as Australian soldiers) are actively participating in this deployment.With the Vendémiaire military frigate, the French flag is flying in the South China Sea.A missile manufactured by a French company, MBSA, will be fired.

⦁ Operation Balikatan is more than an exercise, it is a tangible demonstration of our commitment to each other, » said the US Marine Commander in the Pacific, Lieutenant General William Journée.This provocative and aggressive show of force is clearly directed against China.

This military deployment is taking placea few days after the trilateral summit (United States-Philippines-Japan) which reinstated the 1951 Defence Treaty: « Any attack against the Philippines armed forces, including in the South China Sea, would trigger the implementation of the treaty », declared Joe Biden.

⦁ From 26 June to 15 August, this military escalation will see the three armies of France, Germany and Spain « project their forces » into the Indo-Pacific. They will take part in several military exercises, including « Arctic Defender » with the US Army, and « Pitch Black » with the Australian Army.

From this summer, France will have a dedicated military attaché in the Philippines.

This dangerous march to war is part of the offensive against China and the Chinese people.

The United States has repeatedly condemned China’s massive state subsidies to its industry as a « risk to global economic resilience ». The European Commission has just published a 700-page report denouncing China’s « state planning ».

The war being prepared against China is a war for the markets, a war of imperialism, a war to re-introduce the private ownership of the means of production.

The peoples don’t want war In France, the Workers’ Party has launched a campaign by means of an appeal stating : « Not a penny, not a gun, not a man for war », which has already been endorsed by12,000 workers and youth.

The Workers’ Party rejects any « sacred union/ national unity « with the war-mongering Macron government, and denounces the successive votes by all the left-wing parties in the European and French parliaments in favor of war budgets.

The Workers’ Party is campaigning for an immediate halt to arms supplies to Ukraine and to Netanyahu’s Israeli government, which is perpetuating the massacre of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

In the Philippines, the Partido Manggagawa says No to War and to any war preparation in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea. Demilitarized the region and the withdrawal of all U.S. troops stationed in the Philippines. We do not need U.S. troops in the Philippines as our country is in no war to our neighbors. We do not want our people and the Filipino working people to be a tool to the war that is not ours. No to any war agreements with the U.S. We always call for peace.

The Workers Party/ Parti des travailleurs (France) and the Partido Manggagawa (Philippines) declare jointly:

French troops must be withdrawn from the South China Sea! U.S. troops out of the Philippines. No to war against the Chinese people! We call for peace in the region!

Yes to international solidarity between workers and peoples in the fight against war and exploitation!