The Philippine concerns over the South China Sea, including the illegal presence of foreign vessels and militia in the West Philippine Sea and the harassment of Filipino fisherfolk, must not be viewed through the prism of rivalry between US and China but mainly from the national standpoint.
That was what Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo asserted in his recent speech before fellows of an American think tank amid tirades thrown at each other by Washington and Beijing as they advance their influence in the Indo-Pacific Region.
Making such a call, the country's top diplomat noted the "human face" behind coercive activities in the Philippine waters that "trigger public sensibilities that cannot be ignored."
"There also has to be an objective reckoning of the long-term economic costs to the coastal communities in the South China Sea of the destruction of wide swathes of marine ecosystem of the region, as a result of the reclamations, described by scientists to be equivalent to the destruction of seven natural world heritage areas," Manalo said during the Fellows Meeting of the Foundation for Economic Freedom in his speech sent to reporters on Friday night.
With China being the subject of many diplomatic protests filed by the Philippines, Manalo said the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea issue is not the total sum of the relations between the two countries.
But the Philippines remains clear and consistent in expressing its serious concern over the developments in the waters as parties, including China, "continue to violate the recognized maritime jurisdiction of the Philippines."
"We, therefore, uphold and protect our entitlements under the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the 2016 Arbitral Award through diplomacy, law enforcement, public diplomacy action and through various security and military arrangements," he added.
Middle powers as bridge builders
With the Philippines being able to resolve differences of other countries in the context of the South China Sea dispute, Manalo emphasized how middle powers can build bridges among the major ones.
"Amidst sharpening rivalries and polarities among major powers, middle powers can harness their distinct voice and shared interest to establish a gathering ground and common purpose to bring the interests of many to the table," Manalo said.
This is because " middle powers harbor no strategic desire to bend world affairs towards their directions," he added.
"Middle powers operate with agency and on basis of common interests that breach traditional regional and ideological divides, and thus can redraw new spheres of confluence distinct from the competing visions of contending strategic rivals," Manalo said.
"Because of this, middle powers stand in a pivotal place to shape a new age in global order that remains governed by the rule of law, but is far more attuned to the demands of equity and justice," he added.
Thus, Manalo said that pursuing independent policy "is the fulcrum for the Philippines’ role" among nations playing an important role in preserving a global rules-based order.