"The Philippines is not doing those things like Australia and Japan, directly challenging Chinese interests in the South China Sea or East China Sea. President Marcos wants good relations with the US. But he also wants good relations with China for economic advantage."
Beijing too has indicated that it does not intend to allow a new base agreement between Manila and Washington to disrupt its relations with its neighbour.
In an editorial published to coincide with the arrival of the US defence secretary in Manila, China's state-run Global Times accused the US of "setting a trap for the Philippines" and "trying to push the Philippines to the frontline of confrontation with China".
"We are once again being caught in the middle," says Mr Reyes, who believes China is just as much a capitalist imperialist power as the US.
"The Philippines still has a colonial mentality - it looks to the United States as its big brother.