Filipino-Chinese students heartbroken over PHL, China rift

FUJIAN, China — Filipino-Chinese students in China are heartbroken over tension between the Philippines and China over a maritime dispute in the West Philippine Sea.

 

Mark Zhuang, 18, a freshman Arts student at Huaqiao University, said he feels that as if it is his family that is fighting.

 

“Heartbroken ako kasi family mo iyon tapos sila ay nag-aaway away,” he told visiting journalists from the Philippines.

 

Zhuang, a graduate of St. Stephen’s High School in Manila, is the president of the Philippine Student Union in Huaqiao University. 

 

Wesly Romulo, 21, a Product Design student and scholar at the university, echoed Zhuang’s sentiments.

 

“Masakit, affected po kami. Masakit sa pakiramdam, siyempre, pareho mong pamilya iyon tapos nag-aaway sila,” she said.

 

Her twin sister, Wency, an Interior Design student and also a scholar, said they do not know what to believe as there are differing views on the dispute.

 

“Mahirap din po sa amin kasi tulad namin, andun ang lola namin sa Pilipinas. Sabi niya, iba ang binabalita sa Pilipinas, iba din ang ibinabalita sa China, tapos iba din yung balita sa international media. Hindi mo malaman kung ano ang totoo talaga,” she said.

 

She said they do not want the two countries to have a rift as they have family members both in the Philippines and China. 

 

Wesly said that even their relatives in China are torn on the issue. 

 

“Iyong mga relatives namin dito sa China, tinanong namin kung ano ang palagay nila sa South China Sea issue, wala din silang masabi dahil kahit na pure Chinese sila ay may pamilya sila sa Pilipinas. Wala silang sasabihin na masama ang Pilipinas. Nasa middle lang sila,” she said. 

 

The students admitted that they received negative treatment from some Chinese people upon learning that they have Filipino blood.  

 

Stella Ong, 21, an Economics and Finance student and a scholar, recounted: “Nung dati, nasa Xiamen ako, sa school ko dati, may issue sa South China Sea tapos may nagtanong kung sinong taga-Philippines dito, tapos lahat tumingin sa akin, natakot ako.”

 

Jjimmy Huang, 19, also an Economics and Finance student, said that someone said something against the Philippines when he was studying at a different public school in China, but he just did not mind it.

'Political reasons kung bakit nag-aaway ang mga bansa'

 

The students said that they were lucky that in Huaqiao University there is no discrimination as most of the students are from overseas.

 

Wency said: “Sa Huaqiao, OK naman dahil tanggap kami dito hindi kami nasasabihan nang masama. Natutuwa kami dahil iyong feeling na may family pa rin kahit na nasa ibang bansa ka.

Kahit na mayroong pag-aaway pero naayos pa rin. ”

 

“Walang discrimination dito,” Jimmy added.

 

“Ang maganda dito galing sa iba’t ibang bansa ang mga tao. Hindi lang kami taga-Pilipinas merong taga-Thailand, Indonesia, lahat kami sama sama,” she said. 

 

Asked what they can do regarding the issue on the dispute, Mark Zhuang said all they can do is show the other students that the Filipinos are friendly and have a good attitude.

 

“Political reasons kung bakit nag-aaway ang mga bansa, wala kaming magagawa doon kaya ipapakita na lang namin na mabubuting tao kami para hindi kamii-judge ng ibang tao. Dito naman sa university lahat ay tolerant.  Marami naman pong issue sa ibang bansa pero walang issue dito sa university,” he said.  

 

The Philippines and China, along with other countries Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, and Taiwan are claiming jurisdiction over islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). — JDS, GMA News