FALSE: Kissinger claimed that being China’s friend may seem rewarding until one’s maritime rights are ignored

Jerome Tan

A series of Facebook posts attribute the quote to former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, often in the context of the West Philippine Sea dispute.

CLAIM:

Kissinger stated that “being China’s friend may seem rewarding until one’s maritime rights are ignored.”

RATING: FALSE

CONCLUSION:

Kissinger has never made such a statement and did not take a definite stand on the maritime disputes in the region prior to his death in 2023.

THE FACTS:

• In 2015, Kissinger advocated to “remove the urgency of the debate” on the South China Sea, citing former Chinese premier Deng Xiao Ping’s solution of dealing with problems in the next generation.
• Kissinger previously maintained an ambiguous position on whether the United States should be militarily involved in the disputes.

THE BOTTOM LINE: 

The country’s territorial dispute with China should be balanced against the need for cooperative and diplomatic relations in the region.