Boycott Chinese goods – US Pinoys

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines may not be a threat to China’s military might, but Filipinos can do more than wait for both governments to settle their dispute over Scarborough Shoal to protect their country.

US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG), a group of US-based Filipinos known for their advocacy initiatives, is now calling for a continuous boycott of Chinese products in response to China’s “bullying” attitude in the West Philippine Sea.

“They want to show that they own the country with this intrusion. We are being oppressed by them,” said Loida Nicolas-Lewis, chairwoman of USP4GG, an organization with thousands of members in the United States that led a worldwide day of protest against China on May 15.

Nicolas-Lewis explained the boycott campaign is a way for Pinoys, both at home and abroad, to show their objection to how China is occupying Philippine sovereign territory in Scarborough Shoal.

She told Rappler that as a Filipino “you need to protect your country” against a regional superpower like China.

‘Don’t rock the boat’

Asked about how Filipinos of Chinese origin have reacted so far to the campaign, the USP4GG noted that except for a couple of people who got very angry, most have told the group: “Don’t rock the boat.”

“But how can we not rock the boat, when the boat is being chased by a dragon?” she exclaimed referring to China.

China, according to Nicolas-Lewis, is depriving the Philippines of billions of barrels of oil and natural gas by asserting its claim over Scarborough Shoal through sheer arrogance.

“Those resources are the future of our country,” she said.

USP4GG is also reaching out to communities of Vietnamese-Americans and Taiwanese-Americans for them to support the boycott.

“If we are able to get them on board as well, this can be a raging success.” – Rappler.com