EDITORIAL - Talk is cheap

The sound byte was great -- that of US Secretary of State John Kerry saying, during his visit to the Philippines, that the United States does not recognize the air defense identification zone China unilaterally declared over the East China Sea, and which it may similarly declare over the South China Sea.

But that is all there is too it, just a sound byte. The reality is that the United States has been twisting in the wind over the Chinese move. When China made the move, everybody applauded when the US promptly sent two unarmed B-52 bombers into the zone to violate it.

But that initial euphoria swiftly turned to dismay when the US, almost in the same breath, announced that it was allowing US airlines to comply with the new rules China slapped over the zone. More tellingly, the US did not say that at the time its B-52 bombers flew into the zone, China scrambled its own jets to monitor.

Very clearly, the United States is prepared to respond to the Chinese provocation only with words. Not that it should go to war at the drop of a hat, even if its history is replete with many instances of that, but limiting itself to verbal responses to actual Chinese provocations is not going to get it anywhere.

On the other hand, everytime the US holds back emboldens the Chinese and it will keep on contenting itself with tiny little inches until they become feet, and the feet become meters, and meters kilometers. By the time the US realizes anything, it will be too late. The Chinese shall have owned everything.

Everytime the US speaks these days, its words must therefore be taken with a grain of salt. One must not be mesmerized and go head over heels over its statements like a man for the sweet nothings whispered by a lover. While the US prefers to talk, China prefers to act.

The Philippines, totally reliant on the US for support, has no choice but to stick with its talkative lover. But it must refrain from engaging in an open display of affection. For example, our president should not issue public statements extolling everything the US says, like he just did with Kerry.

Shortly after Kerry said the US does not recognize the Chinese zone, President Aquino promptly praised the US and Kerry, saying it is good that America's position on the matter has been made very clear. Aquino should be told talk is cheap and cannot supplant real action, which the Chinese just went ahead and did.