China has been slowly taking over parts of Philippine territory in the South China Sea for years. The Philippines has not resisted much, which is not surprising given China’s strong economy and military, especially its large navy. It takes a lot of bravery to stand up to China. Recently, however, the Philippines has shown courage and defied China, standing strong despite the odds. This situation resembles the classic story of David versus Goliath.
Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and the Philippines have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, which has led to increased tensions and international criticism, particularly due to China’s military activities, including base construction and jamming equipment. The Philippines is notably the only country that consistently challenges China’s territorial ambitions. Key areas of confrontation include the Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal. The Second Thomas Shoal, about 11 nautical miles long and located less than 200 nautical miles from Palawan, is claimed by several nations, but only the Philippines maintains a military presence there, albeit limited to fewer than a dozen Navy Marines aboard the Sierra Madre, a 330-foot tank landing ship.
In July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, ruled that China’s claims in the South China Sea are not valid. Since then, China has become more aggressive, using force instead of diplomacy. This show of strength has increased significantly over the past few years, with major tensions rising in the summer of 2024. Retired Filipino naval officer and former senator Antonio Trillanes described the current relationship between China and the Philippines as the worst in recent memory.
China is losing control and reacting aggressively in the South China Sea. This shows that its strategy of deterrence and dominance is not working as intended. Right now, even the Philippines do not fear China. How did this happen? The situation was very different 10 years ago when China first described its now ineffective strategy. However, many factors can change in a decade, and in the case of the Philippines, even in just two years.
In 2022, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. became the new president of the Philippines. His predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, served from 2016 to 2022 and faced a lot of criticism. Many people called him a coward for his fears about China’s president, Xi Jinping. Because of this, Duterte made many concessions to China and allegedly struck a gentleman’s agreement with Xi to keep things the same in the South China Sea. He dismissed the Hague’s official ruling, saying it was “just a piece of paper,” which showed his loyalty to China. Many citizens viewed Duterte as a traitor and were relieved when he left office. Toward the end of 2023, Marcos approved the 2024 national budget, allocating roughly $4,000,000,000 for defense, a massive 40% increase compared to 2023.
In February 2024, President Marcos approved a $35 billion plan to modernize the military. This plan will help the Philippines meet its military needs over the next 10 years. Most of the money will go toward strengthening the Philippine Navy, but the Air Force and Army will also receive funding. Although details about specific purchases are not widely shared, Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, the new naval inspector general, mentioned that the military needs to operate in various areas, such as air, land, sea, and even underwater, as well as in electronic warfare. Some known upgrades include the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, commonly known as HIMARS.
Instead of intimidating the US and pushing it away by bullying the Philippines, China has only strengthened the military alliance between the two nations. By 2024, the US has established 9 military bases in the Philippines, including 4 that were added after Marcos became president. These bases are:
– Antonio Bautista Air Base and Balabac Island in Palawan
– BESA Air Base in Pampanga
– Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu
– Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija
– Columbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro
– Camp Melchor de la Cruz in Gamu, Isabela
– Lalo Airport in Lalo, Cagayan
– Naval base Camilo Assayas in Santa Ana, Cagayan
The 4 bases added in 2023 are closer to Taiwan and one faces the disputed Spratly Islands. This allows the US to project its power and maintain stability across the Indo-Pacific region. The US has also placed its ground-based Typhoon mid-range missile system at a military base in Luzon.
The Philippines is not relying on just one partner for its security. Instead, it has formed various alliances in the region. The country has defense agreements with South Korea, Japan, and Australia and is working on a code of conduct with Vietnam and Malaysia. In November 2023, the Philippines signed a new defense cooperation agreement with Japan. This agreement, called the Official Security Assistance, aims to strengthen security ties between the two countries. Japan will supply equipment and support infrastructure development in the Philippines to help improve its security and deterrence capabilities.
Japan has agreed to deliver 4 TPS p 14me radars made by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation to the Philippines, and two of these radars have already arrived. Australia also announced that it will spend $26 million to strengthen its maritime partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. As part of this commitment, Australia has asked the Philippines to participate in the first joint sea and air patrols in the South China Sea in November 2023. In the same month, the Philippines and South Korea agreed to improve their mutual defense cooperation. This agreement follows the Philippine Air Force’s purchase of twelve South Korean-made FA-50 fighter jets and the Philippine Navy’s acquisition of its first two missile frigates.
In the next few years, South Korea will deliver 2 more corvettes and 6 offshore patrol vessels. We can see that the Philippines is serious about its security. Under Marcos’ leadership, the Philippines has shown strong resistance and impressive restraint against continuous threats from China. As Marcos stated, the Philippines does not want to start wars. Our main goal is to provide a peaceful and prosperous life for every Filipino.
Photo by Free Nomad on Unsplash
