After a period of strategic estrangement, the Philippines and United States are getting back together again.
As US President Donald Trump steps up efforts to win over Southeast Asian states in an emerging campaign to counter China’s regional rise with arms sales and aid, the Pentagon has made strong new overtures to re-engage its ally in Manila.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is now recalibrating his relations with the US after downgrading ties in a policy lurch towards more friendly relations with China.
Rising domestic opposition to that shift, inflamed by China’s rising assertiveness over contested features in the South China Sea, has no doubt informed the president’s perceptible move towards more US engagement.
While Duterte hasn’t shied from his colorful brand of anti-Western tirades, he hasn’t opposed the gradual restoration of US defense ties, both vis-à-vis domestic security threats with the rise of Islamic State in its southern island of Mindanao, as well as maritime security threats in the South China.
He has also stepped up his criticism of China’s militarization of the disputes in the maritime area.
While Duterte has frequently touted China as a trusted friend in the country’s development, his defense establishment has remained suspicious of Beijing’s intentions and made clear it prefers to maintain strong ties with the US, with which it shares a mutual defense treaty.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has offered advanced military hardware, including Lockheed Martin F-16 multi-role fighters and attack helicopters and a significantly expanded defense aid package, representing its largest in the region.
Washington has also offered to bankroll infrastructure development under its new US$60 billion Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development (BUILD) program. China earlier promised as much as US$26 billion in infrastructure deals, but actual disbursals under Duterte have so far been a trickle.
In a touch of soft power diplomacy, the Pentagon has also promoted the the return of the highly symbolic Balangiga Bells, a war trophy from the early years of America’s colonial occupation of the Philippines.
The move is seen as an olive branch to Duterte, who has repeatedly lashed Washington for not returning the church bells which many see as a symbol of Filipino anti-colonial resistance and American aggression in its only Asian colony.
“The return of the Balangiga Bells will be a strong indicator of the sincerity of the Americans in forging a lasting relationship with the Filipino people,” the Philippine National Defense Department said in a statement. The bells are currently housed at F E Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The overtures build on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s early August visit to the region, where he met top leaders from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia as well as foreign ministers attending from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
During his tour, America’s top diplomat announced a new US$300 million security aid package for regional allies that will focus in part on maritime security cooperation with an eye on arming up Southeast Asian states with rival claims to China in the South China Sea.
Pompeo also announced a new US$117 million mobilization fund to facilitate hi-tech American investments into Southeast Asia that aims to create “quality” jobs.
The US Congress is now discussing an Asia Reassurance Initiative bill, a multi-billion dollar program aimed at augmenting America’s military footprint and strategic influence across the Indo-Pacific region.
The Pentagon is leading the diplomatic charge to Manila. US Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Asia-Pacific Randall Schriver, during an August trip to the Philippine capital, underscored the Trump administration’s commitment to aiding the Philippines in its ongoing disputes with China in the South China Sea.
His visit coincided with Duterte adopting unusually tough language vis-à-vis China, suggesting in one rhetorical flourish that the two sides could go to war over the disputes.
Dismayed by China’s constant harassment of Filipino surveillance operations in the sea, he warned China against using “nasty words” to intimidate Filipino air force patrols in the area. He said: “[y]ou cannot create islands there and claim the [whole contested] sea”
In a marked departure from the notoriously vague language of the previous Barack Obama administration, Shriver made it clear that Washington will be “a good ally” and “help the Philippines respond accordingly” to threats to its sovereign rights and claims in the South China Sea.
Many in the Philippines were disappointed the US did not take a more forceful stand during its 2012 naval standoff with China over the Scarborough Shoal, which lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. China took administrative control of the shoal while the US looked on despite its 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with Manila.
Shriver, in contrast, minced no words on what Washington now sees as the main threat in the region, making it clear during his visit to the Philippines that Washington “will not allow [China] to rewrite the rules of the road or change international law.”
Earlier this year, the US Navy dispatched for the first time a warship to conduct Freedom of Navigation Operations near the Philippine-claimed, China-controlled Scarborough Shoal. It has also sent multiple aircraft carriers to make good will visits to Philippine ports.
More significantly, the two allies resumed this year their joint Balikatan, or “Shoulder-to-Shoulder”, war games in the South China Sea, an exercise that included a combined 8,000 troops and joint amphibious exercises.
Soon after taking office, Duterte threatened to eject American Special Forces that have rotationally stationed in Mindanao since 2011, nixed joint war games in the South China Sea, and downgraded and relocated the Balikatan exercises away from disputed areas with China.
All these decisions were seen as part of an emerging grand bargain with Beijing, which offered large-scale economic benefits and the cessation of direct threats to Filipino troops and personnel stationed in Philippine-occupied land features in the South China Sea.
In his third year in office, Duterte has yet to see any tangible large-scale Chinese investments, while Beijing’s harassment of Philippine troops and surveillance missions in the area have continued. This has provided an opening for Washington to rebuild ties with its estranged yet threatened ally.
In late August, the US State Department also dispatched a senior official to the Philippines to diplomatically underscore the Trump administration’s commitment to its oldest regional ally.
During his visit to Manila, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Walter Douglas announced the largest ever single-year Foreign Military Financing (FMF) assistance to the Philippines, representing one-fifth (US$60 million) of the total US$300 million security assistance initiative announced by Pompeo earlier that month.
The US official said the grant was given in “recognition of the long-term partnership we’ve had with the Philippines on the security front” and would cover “peacekeeping and maritime domain awareness” among other security areas.
Douglas and a senior Pompeo adviser told this writer that the Trump administration is keen to upgrade Philippine relations in a comprehensive way, including through the mobilization of private American capital for “high-quality” investments in the Philippines, including through the BUILD program.
They suggested that senior American officials recognize the shortcomings of the previous administration in addressing the Philippines’ needs for stronger strategic assurances, including in the South China Sea.
Well, no surprise. The Philippines is back with their old colonial power, the USA. China must take the blame. Instead of having a thriving business relationship, China has had tunnel vision on building these islands in the South China Sea. The Chinese Cost Guard stole 30 KILOS of fish from Philippine fishermen! The result was demonstrations against China.
President Duterte has been balancing on a tight-rope to balance the Philippines policies not to offend any of the super powers, so the Filipino people could have business opportunities with all the superpowers.
Despite the fact the Philippines has been a colony of the USA, there is a lot of goodwill among Filipinos towards Americans and the many US Companies who behaves good. There is a large number of Filipino expats in the US and a lot of Americans in the Philippines. Many US Veterans prefer a good life in the Philippines, instead of living on food-stamps in the US.
Even the Philippines communist seems to prefer the USA rather than China? This is truly amazing!
Kevin-Maricko McCoy
All I see were one sided stories, look at yourself and what do you see? Lol
Wood Wu, there is a description of the mentality of your guys "热脸贴冷屁股(Canadian hot cheek warms American cold ass) ,自作多情。狗奴才"
Kevin-Maricko McCoy, treaty ally? Look at what Turkey is doing, they are close to bomb and shoot the American bases there with Russian’s help. The Filipino will do the same at quick as the Turks.
Chinese can point DF-21, railgun, laser cannon, fly J-20, build fortified manmade islands near the American bases to make the American lose sleep in the night.
Ernesto Sagre, you call the American who imposes military bases in your homeland, getting way with raping and murdering your country fellows with extraterritorial judical rights, meddling your elections and government, and selling drugs to Filipinos to fund the Islamic terrorist in Lanao as your guardian, law protector and god father? You are indeed a little brown-man as the American call you guys.
I beg U please please tell us while Trump got Wall St onboard by moving US embassy to Jerusalem and canceled $300m to Palestine, how will he get US multinationals with profit their only motive go against when China is helping them making the highest.gross margin in history, eg majority of export is for Walmart, or China being their biggest consumer profit market, eg Ford sold and made more money in China than USA which is dominated by the Japs, or KFC the biggest food.chain in China and probably the world. Yes pray pray do tell us fvxking genius.
Kevin-Maricko McCoy
And pray tell pay for with what when the richest 1% or corporations pocketed most of trade profits and unwilling to share even a little. Look ahead to more benefit cuts, more debt,increase inflation with increase in job lost, aka stagflation just like the 1970 and 80s, U know when Nixon beg China help to America out of the sh!t hole. Hmmm… will China help this time. Such a tough question! NOT. ahhahaha
Go the fvck home junkies!!
The US bombed N Korea, Vietnam,Cambodia and Laos backed to the stone age. Poisoned Vietnam with birth defects even to-day and the Vietnamese government is suing. Also drone bombed Pakistan. Invaded and waged an endless 17 years war on Afghanistan. Pushed up and protected the cultivation of opium in Afghanistan. The CIA ran an opium drug line into Vietnam and the Philippines. The US backed a genocide in Indonesia by Suharto which killed more than 500,000 people. The US stirred up unrest and colour revolutions in Thailand and Hong Kong.
Not to mention the US destruction of the Philippines during the colonial period. And the US running opium into China after the OpiumWars.
In 1998, speculators from the US caused Thai and Malaysian currencies to plunge starting a contagion in SEAsia. In 2008, the financial collapse in the US caused financial destruction in the region. Luckily China’s economy was robust then which helped to cushion the impact on Asia.
In 1998, financial predators from the US came to Malaysia to buy up good Malaysian companies ravaged by the speculators.
To top it all, the US tested more than 1,000 nuclear explosions in the Marshall Islands poisoning the entire area. Poison still leaking to-day from a concrete tomb into the Pacific Ocean.
The US is a destructive blight on Asia. So, get out. You are not wanted.
Joe Wong we don’t like china the fabricator of lies and propaganda. Your words is not enough to cover up its aggressive action. China is a greedy invader, knowing his asian neighbours can not defend their territories.
….. U.S. CONTINUES TO TREAT THE PHILIPPINES AS STILL A COLONY AND NOT AS AN EQUAL ….. AMERICAN SOLDIERS KILLED MORE THAN 1.4 MILLION FILIPINOS OUT OF A TOTAL POPULATION OF 4 MILLION DURING U.S. CONQUEST OF THE PHILIPPINES ….. AMERICAN SOLDIERS MARCHING ORDER WAS KILL ALL FILIPINOS MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD ….. THE FIRST RECORDED GENOCIDE IN HISTORY ….. U.S. PLUNDERED THE PHILIPPINES WEALTH ….. UNDER THE U.S.’ SUGAR-COATED "BENEVOLENT ASSIMILATION" "MANIFEST DESTINY", “ALTRUISTIC POLICY” ….. GGGRRRRR ….. ?!@$%&?!
https://britsinthephilippines.top/philippines-genocide-3-million-filipinos-killed/
Wood Wu, American also did not do any harm to Canada, they only want Canadian to be their lackey, and the front shield of their nuclear wars agains Russia, North Korea, India, Japan and China. American is squeezing Canada economically by excluding Canada from NAFTA, as well as raise 50% tariff on Canadian oil, aluminum and cars. More tariff will be imposed on Canada after Trump declares Canada an enemy of “Make American Great” project. Mind you Americans do not harm their allies, it is just a slap on the head to wake up Canadians who is their boss. It is sad Canada is not wanted, not invited and not loved by the American.
china next reclaimation scarborough shoal and half moon shoal
Joe Wong : America is a toxin and a plague to CHINA. It has never done any damage to Asia. It is not wanted by China but welcomed by others. It was invited and loved in Asia by others but not by China only. Yankee are welcome in Asia, only not in China.
Joe Wong, Americans live anywhere they so desire and don’t need or want a commie loving Chinese tell us where, when and what to do. The US military is already building up it forces in the Philippines (Treaty Ally) to counter the PLA and idiots like you who are racist and morons in general. Get over it…. there is nothing else you or China can do about it!
Kevin-Maricko McCoy, it is hard to tell in which country the Americans committed more war crimes and crimes against humanity, the Philippines or Vietnam. The American’s brace is a death kiss.
USA is 10,000 miles away on the other side of the Pacific. USA is not an Asian nation, and American is an alien to Asia, American became rich and powerful through imperialism, colonialism, selling opium, religious indoctrination of the conquered, ethnic cleansing, genocide, slavery, racial discrimination, regime change, weapons trade, shock and awe, skillful propaganda, etc.
American is a toxin and a plague to Asian, They have done enough damage to Asian already, they are not wanted, not invited and not loved in Asia, go home Yankee.
The rapist is going back to rape the victim again, is it called floating back together again?
The coming together of again of this historic alliance with the Philippines and the United States is more important now than since World II! My hope is this alliance goes full throttle in allowing the USA to bring all of its military assets to bases in the Philippines before it is too late and while there is still time to thwart Chinese hegemony in the South China Sea.