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The security of the Philippines, located in the South China Sea and close to Taiwan, is vital to the stability of East Asia. The Philippines is increasingly left alone under pressure from China.
Can neighboring countries just stand by and watch the situation?
This month, a Philippine vessel patrolling off Pag-asa Island in the South China Sea was struck by a Chinese ship, damaging its bow.
The day before, at a summit between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Laos, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said, “We continue to be subjected to harassment and intimidation,” and urged China to stop its coercive actions in the South China Sea.
There are limits to what the Philippines can do on its own to counter China. However, other ASEAN member countries noticeably showed their stance to seek solutions through dialogue rather than criticize China.
China has recently stepped up its summit diplomacy, sending Premier Li Qiang to Vietnam and Malaysia, for example. Both countries have territorial disputes with China, but they are likely to emphasize economic relations with China and be reluctant to move actively to support the Philippines, which is in a difficult situation.
China’s aim may be to divide ASEAN and drive the Philippines, which has taken a prominent hard-line stance toward China, into an inferior position, thereby expanding China’s influence in the South China Sea.
There has been a spate of cases in the South China Sea in which China Coast Guard vessels have intentionally collided with or fired water at Philippine vessels. In addition to maritime provocations, China has repeatedly engaged in provocative actions in the air recently — for example, Chinese military helicopters have approached abnormally close to the aircraft of Philippine authorities.
Marcos, who came to power two years ago, shifted from the conciliatory stance toward China taken by former President Rodrigo Duterte to one of promoting security cooperation with Japan and the United States to strengthen its deterrence against China.
Based on the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, the number of bases in the Philippines on which U.S. troops can be temporarily stationed was increased by four to nine last year. The new bases include an island near Palawan Island facing the South China Sea and one in the northern part of the country near Taiwan.
This year, Japan concluded a Reciprocal Access Agreement with the Philippines, a bilateral defense pact to facilitate joint exercises between the Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine military. This month, South Korea also agreed with the Philippines on such matters as South Korea’s cooperation in modernizing the equipment of the Philippine military.
Neighboring countries, such as Japan, the United States and South Korea, must strengthen their support for the Philippines and at the same time continue diplomatic efforts to appeal to the international community, including other ASEAN countries, on the need to maintain stability in the South China Sea and to deter China.
