Storm clouds are gathering. As Kim Jong Un prepares to stand alongside Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping at Beijing’s September 3 military parade, the West senses an upheaval “once in a century”—and it has arrived.
This Xi’s diplomatic victory. As the BBC observed, “the Chinese leader is signalling that he may hold the geopolitical cards in this game.”
The parade, marking 80 years since victory over Japan, will spotlight China’s military might at a moment calculated to force the US to acknowledge a new reality. Washington hinted that Trump will tour Asia in October, even contemplating a summit with Xi.
Manila’s Fading Safety Net
Meanwhile, in Manila the cicadas chirp among yellowing leaves—the Philippine Navy has spotted a Chinese tug boat near Second Thomas Shoal, yet insists its grounded warship, the Madre de Dios, is untouchable. Defense Secretary Teodoro says Manila has “contingency plans” and warns that even one Filipino casualty at China’s hands would cross a “red line.” Their confidence springs from the Mutual Defense Treaty with the US, signed August 30, 1951.
But that alliance looks as aged and brittle as the Madre de Dios itself. The US uses the Philippines to contain China and control the South China Sea narrative; Manila leans on the treaty to punch above its weight. As Western influence wanes and the Global South rises, this “US–Philippines complex” is fraying.
China’s Pageant as Power Play
Xi’s parade isn’t just ceremonial pageantry—it’s a statement of epochal significance. China’s rise rejects three centuries of Western hegemony. Consider The Godfather: Michael Corleone, a decorated WWII hero, needs Mafia tutelage to execute enemies cleanly and restore his family’s honor. Likewise, the West’s vaunted combat record—soft targets bombed, coups orchestrated, all without fingerprints—reveals a gangster’s playbook masquerading as noble crusade. Only America could feign itself as the world’s shining beacon while practicing Mafia-style tradecraft.
So Manila shouldn’t overestimate its treaty safety net. The West and organized crime share one trait: exclusivity. Their inner circle is the US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Israel — everyone else is either a squeeze or a sucker. The Philippines? It’s neither Godfather’s heir nor indispensable ally.
The Old Order’s Rusting Leaves
Western hand-wringing over China’s 80th-anniversary celebrations as an “anti-Western axis” only underscores its declining grip. As Reuters notes, the parade unites sanctioned states against a Western-led order—a tableau echoing Xu Hun’s Tang-era lament, where empire crumbles and sorrow reigns.
Autumn has come. The old order rusts, leaves turn brown, and the West’s melancholy runs wild.
Deep Blue
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **
At the beginning of the new year, Donald Trump has single-handedly changed the United States, and the global landscape may also be reshaped. First, he declared that as Commander-in-Chief, the President’s authority is limited only by his own morality. Later, he posted an image on his social platform Truth Social with the caption “Acting President of Venezuela”. The New York Times directly questioned: “Does this mean ignoring international law and acting without any constraints to invade other countries?” Regarding international law, Trump stated, “I abide by it,” but made it clear that when such constraints apply to the United States, he would be the ultimate arbiter.
On January 7, 2026, the President signed a presidential memorandum ordering the United States to withdraw from 66 international organizations, including 31 United Nations entities and multiple major international agreements. This action is aimed at exiting organizations deemed by the White House to be “contrary to U.S. interests” and a waste of taxpayer funds. The UN bodies to be withdrawn from include UN Women, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the International Law Commission.
Clearly, Trump has a unique blueprint that serves only American interests. He might retort: “What era is this, still talking about international law and core values? Don’t you know the current state of the U.S.? Don’t you know that the U.S. has long been planning drastic actions?”
In April 2020, retired U.S. Marine Corps officer Mark Cancian proposed a bold strategy. The National Interest reported: “With a coastline of 9,000 miles and the world’s second-largest merchant fleet after Greece, including Hong Kong, China has over 4,000 ships. This is not an advantage but a vulnerability. The U.S. could effectively blockade China’s economy by launching a clever campaign, leaving it exhausted.” The suggestion was for the U.S. to emulate 16th-century Britain by supporting privateers—civilian organizations specialized in plundering Chinese merchant ships. Given China’s current military capabilities, it should be able to meet such challenges, so there’s no need to worry. Still, one can’t help but applaud the audacity of such an idea.
Back then, Biden paid no attention to this plan, as the Democrats were still refined and attached great importance to the cloak of universal values. At the same time, Biden, at least nominally, had to pay lip service to the United Nations, because ideology mattered. The U.S. had previously displayed a magical logic: attacking you to save your people, destroying your country to introduce democracy and freedom, imposing sanctions because you’re a dictatorship... Trump cannot be like ordinary advocates of universal values, who always cite international law and classical references. First, neither he nor his team possess such knowledge. Second, pretending to uphold morality can no longer maximize American interests. Third, former adversaries have “risen,” gradually establishing international moral authority. If the U.S. continues to preach benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, it will only become a laughingstock. After all, Trump has already discarded America’s credibility like trash.
Retired officer Cancian’s plan is exactly the White House’s cup of tea. For context—in the 16th century, Britain supported privateers, civilian organizations that plundered rival nations’ merchant ships. This was essentially the legalization of piracy, with the British monarch issuing “letters of marque” to recruit outlaws for royal service, dubbing them “royal pirates.” These privateers helped Britain destroy the then-dominant Spain at sea, significantly boosting British power and laying the foundation for the Industrial Revolution.
In reality, Trump has already begun “highway robbery” operations, seizing multiple cargo ships in the Caribbean. The White House has also dropped the pretense. Foreign media reported that Deputy Chief of Staff Miller recently declared: “The only permissible maritime energy transportation must comply with U.S. law and national security.” This is no different from robbery—“This mountain is my domain, these trees are my planting; if you wish to pass, leave your toll.” The only difference is that the U.S. is not just a bandit but a pirate. Similarly, Trump and Cheng Yaojin from the Dramatized History of Sui and Tang Dynasties share the title of “Chaos Demon King.”
Next, following the “Trump Gold Card,” Trump could publicly issue “letters of marque,” auctioning them to the highest bidder, and even list them on Wall Street. Their valuation might surpass that of the “Seven Sisters” oil companies—who knows?
