The administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong Marcos”, Jr., needs to strengthen its engagement with its traditional allies in the international community in order to ensure a strong push back on the growing assertiveness of China in the West Philippine Sea.
In an international forum organized by the Stratbase Institute, its President, Prof. Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit, emphasized that the Philippine government has all the right to fight for every inch of its territory in the West Philippine Sea since it is fully-backed by the UN Tribunal decision which invalidated the Nine-Dah Line argument of China.
The Nine-Dash Line is being used by China to claim virtually the entire South China Sea. This was opposed by other claimant countries which include Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.
“The Philippines has every right to exercise sovereignty over its maritime territory. Our maritime vessels have the right to patrol our waters without being threatened. Our scientists have the right to conduct research in the West Philippine Sea without being closely observed. Our fishermen have the right to fish in the waters safely and without fear,” said Manhit.
The international forum, themed “Redefining Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in an Age of Uncertainty”, was held to mark the sixth anniversary of the landmark decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which ruled in favor of the Philippines on the matter of the West Philippine Sea.
“With our collective will and effort, we must not allow any blatant disregard of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) or the rule of law by any state,” said Manhit.
“The PCA legally transformed our maritime claims into a territorial right. Therefore, it is clear that the West Philippine Sea is ours,” he stressed.
No change in policy
But in an interview, Department of National Defense (DND) Officer-In-Charge Jose Faustino, Jr. told reporters that there seems to be no changes in the policy implemented by the Duterte administration under President Marcos.
“During the time of President Duterte, we saw the collaboration with China in opening up other avenues of cooperation in the West Philippine Sea and I think it’s the same policy of the President (Marcos) when it comes to our foreign policy. So basically the same, we are for peaceful resolution of the conflict,” said Faustino.
Despite the building of structures of China in the South China Sea amid diplomatic protests and the frequent harassments of Filipino soldiers and fishermen, the Duterte administration, largely ignored the ruling as it pivoted toward China and pursued what Duterte called an “independent foreign policy.”
Faustino added that there has been no instruction so far from President Marcos with regard to the issue on West Philippine Sea.
“What we want is a rules-based international order in these areas and we support that, and I think both, those administration and this administration would have the same policy direction,” said Faustino.
“So, more on economic and he even mentioned about the possibility of a military to military exchange with China,” he added.
But local and international experts argued that maritime security is a collective responsibility, and that the Philippineds can only effectively address present and emerging security threats if it act from this premise and enlist the cooperation of its international allies.
Like-minded allies
Representatives from various countries and international institutions spoke during the forum, all emphasizing the need to respect not only the UN Tribunal decision but the rules-based international order governing relations between and among countries.
Lisa Curtis, Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program and Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Society said maritime issues are critical to the US-Philippine alliance.
“We have a mutual interest in ensuring that nations in the region maintain their sovereignty and independence,” she said.
Curtis added: “Standing up to China’s maritime aggression and taking steps to push back against it are necessary to maintain a rules-based international order. And ultimately, this is the best way we can avoid any conflict.”
Mr. Murray Hiebert, Senior Associate of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Director for Research for BowerGroup Asia, said the US now has the opportunity to re-energize an alliance that had become really more than a little wobbly under Duterte.
Hiebert, who had also published a book called “Under Beijing’s Shadow: Southeast Asia’s China Challenge,” said: “The first thing they ought to do is invite Marcos to come to Washington.... this could provide a great opportunity for the US and the Philippines to reboot by inviting the new president to Washington as soon as possible.”
Hiebert said the US and the Philippines should work together to protect the rights of the Philippines in the South China Sea, including sovereignty, hydrocarbons, and fish.
“The US needs to continue urging China to compromise with the Philippines and the other three disputants and should work with partners in Asia and Europe to impose economic and diplomatic costs against the aggressive behavior by China,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Yusuke Takagi, Associate Professor of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, said bilteral cooperation between the Philippines and Japan, specifically in the areas of maritime security and safety, has been on the right track for many years, with Mindanao as focal point.
He said that aside from bilateral relations, it is also important to think about Philippine relations in the Indo-Pacific.
Professor John Blaxland, a professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies at Australia National University, said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has limited ability to deter, and AUKUS sees the bolstering of the US’ commitment to the defense of Australia and by implication, of the region.
“This bolsters regional deterrence and by implication bolsters the prospect of stability and prosperity,” he said.
Blaxland acknowledged the overwhelming amount of overlap of interest between Australia and the Philippines, including their interests and enemies. “We can’t just sit on the fence. We have interests to defend. Our interests are being challenged. Our deterrents need to be bolstered. Our weakness invites adventurism,” he said.
In closing the forum, Manhit cited a recent Pulse Asia survey commissioned by the Stratbase Institute that said 89 percent of Filipinos want President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to assert the country’s rights in the West Philippine Sea, and 90 percent agree that the new administration must invest in the capability of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard.
“The Philippines recognizes the efforts made by its partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific to promote a peaceful and stable region for all. Indeed, fostering multilateral and inclusive cooperation through alliances and strategic partnerships is the most viable solution to maintaining a rules-based international order,” he said.
Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez delivered the keynote address, and the other speakers included H.E. Jana Šedivá, Ambassador of the Czech Republic in the Philippines, Mr. Alistair White, Deputy Head of Mission of the British Embassy in the Philippines, Dr. Renato de Castro Trustee and Program Convenor of Stratbase Institute, and RADM. Rommel Jude Ong, Executive Director of Security Reform Initiative.