Earlier this month, China conducted its largest-ever military exercise in the South China Sea, raising new concerns about the future of freedom of navigation and overflight in the contested maritime region.
The exercises put a new spotlight on the Philippines, with the United States and its key regional security allies now bidding to step up their strategic cooperation with Manila.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s warming ties with China, with ongoing discussions over energy and other resource-sharing arrangements in contested areas, has raised US concerns over China’s rising influence over its smaller neighbors.
While Duterte has reached to Beijing, his security establishment and other prominent Filipinos have remained more circumspect. Those divergent views have been on full display in recent months, witnessed in a flurry of strategic exchanges with the US and its regional partners.
Despite Beijing’s overtures, including rich promises of economic assistance and investments, the Philippines has cause for concern.
No less than Chinese President Xi Jinping, dressed symbolically in army fatigues, addressed military personnel who participated in the recent mass maritime exercises.
Over 10,000 sailors, 48 warships and 76 aircraft took part in what Chinese state-owned media described as “the biggest maritime military parade since the foundation of the new China and a heroic display of the PLA Navy in the new era.”
China also leveraged the unprecedented drills to install equipment capable of jamming communication and radar systems of rival states on land features under its control in the Spratly islands, including on the Philippine-claimed Mischief Reef.
It’s becoming clearer that China wants to discourage and deter any challenge to its expansive South China Sea claims, outlined in its controversial nine-dash line map. Recent moves aim to restrict other claimants and external powers’ ability to operate their military assets in the area.
For Washington and other regional powers, continued security cooperation and engagement with Southeast Asian nations is crucial to preventing complete Chinese domination of the waters, through which over US$5 trillion worth of global trade travels every year.
China’s reported installation of jamming technology on Mischief Reef provoked a political backlash in Manila, with Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano promising to take the necessary diplomatic measures to protest China’s latest perceived provocation in nearby waters.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who has consistently expressed reservations about China’s intentions in adjacent waters, promised to verify and examine whether national communication and weapons systems could now be in jeopardy. That review is ongoing.
Just days after China’s large-scale drills, the US, Japan and Australia deployed warships to Philippine bases in Manila and Subic Bay in their own show of force.
Washington deployed USS Theodore Roosevelt to Manila Bay, its second aircraft carrier to visit the Philippines in the span of a month.
In February, the USS Carl Vinson made a high-profile visit to the Philippines ahead of its freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, the latest in a series of US pushbacks against China in the maritime area.
Earlier this year, the Pentagon made the unprecedented move of challenging China’s de facto control of the Philippine-claimed Scarborough Shoal by deploying warships within 12 nautical miles of the contested land feature.
Other US allies are pitching in. The Royal Australia Navy’s guided-missile frigate HMAS Anzac, accompanied by the auxiliary oiler replenishment HMAS Success, arrived in the Philippines on April 11 for a five-day-long visit.
Two days later, Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Forces’ Akizuki-class destroyer made a separate three-day good will visit.
“I think there are times when we should speak loudly and clearly,” declared the United States’ Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim from aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt while it was docked at Manila Bay.
“Our friendship has never been stronger and we have been and remain an Indo-Pacific nation. And our commitment to this region and its well-being is enduring,” he said.
Underlining the two sides’ deep historical ties, the American diplomat also pointed out the presence of 400 Filipino-Americans aboard the warship, part of the large number of first- and second-generation Filipino-Americans who have jointed the US armed forces in recent decades.
Commander of the Carrier Strike Group 9 Rear Admiral Stephen Koehler welcomed some 300 prominent Filipinos from the business community, government and academia on the aircraft carrier, also known as the “Big Stick”, alongside the US ambassador.
The naval commander emphasized the importance of ensuring that international waters like the South China Sea are “a rightful place for everybody” – a not so subtle swipe at China’s perceived threat to freedom of navigation and overflight in the area.
“It’s a showcase of the capability of the US armed forces, not only by sea but also by air,” Philippine army Lieutenant General Rolando Bautista said during his visit to the USS Theodore Roosevelt. “The Americans are our friends. In one way or another, they can help us to deter any threat.”
While Duterte has expressed his commitment to warmer relations with China, often at the expense of strategic ties with the US, many prominent Filipinos – including Duterte’s known rivals – continue to value the country’s longstanding alliance with America.
Among those in attendance at the aircraft carrier ceremony was interim Supreme Court Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes, former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Major General Restituto Padilla and Harvard-educated tycoon Don Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.
Duterte has a chip on his shoulder about the US. From what I have read, it stems from something that happened when he was a teenager, but what I dont know. But when he gets angry, he cant contain himself with his foul language that only belongs in the gutter. As for Obama, well lots didnt like him, but he is only the figurehead of a country and shouldnt be viewed "as a person". In the end, if Durterte tries to cut ties to the US, half of the Filipino business community, armed forces and elites would have an awful lot to say about that. Probably goodbye Mr Duterte I would imagine.
Beware the Philippines. Just read the article on a house rented for "accomodation" in Tahiti which they have turned into a "consulate" and will not give the building back, even though they have had official notification that the lease has expired and will not be renewed. Here is an official Chinese government office disregarding basic international laws on owndership and contractual obligations!!! Just shows, they are NOT to be trusted as far as you could throw them! The lady owner has been threatened about talking to the media by Chinese, but she is adament, she wants her property back and says "we are not in China now, this is mine". Chinese thugs at it again! Officially this time.
You are a fool…china still hasn’t given the Philippines any of the 24 billion dollars it promised…they like koreans but didnt help them out…so why would they help filipinos if they dont even like them?
The reason duterte didnt get along with Obama is because the people of Mindinao are very racist against black people…obama is far superior to any of the other leaders with approval ratings over 70% in industrial nations…The philippines will lose…not because of politics but because of God….
Monra Z Angeles ..a group of filipinos are eating dog..so philippines is a dog eating country..
Mon Mah, Read this article to be enlightened what I’m talking about regarding intellectual property theft. Maybe then you will take your head out of the CCP are!
http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/23/technology/china-us-trump-tariffs-ip-theft/index.html
Wood Wu
Tributaries extends throughout SEA, Korea, Japan, states that existed in Chinese Siberia, Pakistan, even Turkey paid tribute at one time or another to the Chinese crown but, Island dwellers which is now the Philippines and Indonesia was exempted cos no statehood existed then but migratory exchanges, trade, interbreeding flourished which is why you have this tint of Asiatic in all SE Asians.
Your vision of a just and peaceful world seems to be hoping for China to bring it Xi thought to every corner of the World. That’s what you want?
You are just a piece of crap…
Another propaganda fluff piece that has the wrong title. Nowhere in the article does is support the notion that China’s recent "show of force" is pushing Philippines back to US. The real title is given at the end of the article:
" …many prominent Filipinos – including Duterte’s known rivals – continue to value the country’s longstanding alliance with America."
Nothing new there.
China’s interest in the SCS is econmical and defensive (everybody remembers that the US closed off shipping lanes preventing oil to Japan just before Pearl Harbor. The US interest in the SCS is offensive as they don’t want their hegemony challenged,
Wood Wu, just show your face instead of using fake Chinese sir name. Seriously make you nothing
Philippines and the other ASEAN countries want economic development, and the US cannot or will not promote that. It has had a century of effective control in Philippines, and a huge proportion of people live in poverty. Now that Duterte has turned to China to help create economic development, some are complaining about "influence". Of course, there is influence; how could there not be?
nbvbnbvn
"Smaller states around SC sea paid tribute to China and in turn got protection.">>>I believe the tributary system existed only inside China. Chinese historical textbooks all said so but no evidence was ever provided and therefore youngsters were cheated into believing China is a all powerful and respected country. We can also say so because of the present phenomenon; more Chinese neighbouring states hate China than loving China. Like North Korea, although it had been helped by China, it hates China intensely.
from one man to another man, isn’t that just whoring? and why should people care who you slept with?
Lol,chynese is number 1 destributer of all illegal drugs,china is number 1 producer of methamphetamine hydrocloride,chynese is number one destributer of all fake product to killed people slowly,chynese is King of cyber hacker and stole money of other country by cyber hacking, chynese is number One destroyer of all natural resources
China was an imperialist empire long before US was born. Smaller states around SC sea paid tribute to China and in turn got protection. Why change that equation now. If take up historical tradition, there will be peace.
When you become dependant and a servant you have to be obedient and lick their ( you know what ). No self respect left for a country.
President Duterte want to have the flexibility and to do business with whom ever is beneficial for the Philippines. Just because President Duterte decided to find a “agree to disagree” solution with China is not the same as abandoning USA.
President Duterte did not get along with Obama. The reason for this could have been the US covert operations against Duterte.President Duterte did nor want to have the same experience as Erdogan in Turkey.
It seems President Duterte get along with both President Xi and President Trump. Great for the Philippines is friendly to all the Super powers.
Ha! Ha! An April Fool joke!