China, not a party

Since China is intent on ignoring international conventions regarding the maritime dispute and recognizes only bilateral agreements, it must respect the defense ties between the Philippines and the United States.

The Foreign Ministry in Beijing assailed the strengthened defense arrangements between Washington and Manila, saying the United States is not a party to the West Philippine Sea issue, which it claims is between two neighbors.

By raising such an argument, China must recognize that it should not be involved in the discussions between two historic allies in furtherance of their mutual defense treaty.

China’s Foreign Ministry said steps will be taken “to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and uphold peace and stability in the disputed seas,” which is the exact objective of the Philippines in expanding its ties with other nations.

In his visit to Manila on 19 March, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US will continue to bolster its maritime, defense, and economic cooperation with the Philippines.

The statement did not refer to the increasingly belligerent acts committed by China in pushing its territorial claim.

China has referred to the Philippines as a pawn of the United States being used to contain the emerging Asian power, but the allies have been working together for the past several years.

US-Philippine relations hit a bump during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who opted to improve ties with the Asian neighbor. Duterte, nonetheless, raised the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling against China with President Xi Jinping towards the end of his term.

When President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took over, the policy shifted to strengthening ties with the US and other nations to bring them the cause of the country in maintaining order in the strategic waterway through which 60 percent of global trade passes.

Blinken said Washington’s policy is to reinvigorate existing partnerships in the region and “build nuance that is fit” for the needs of its partner country.

“None of these are directed against anyone or anything; they’re in service of something — they’re for trying to realize the positive vision that all of the countries involved share a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he said.

The trilateral meeting next month among the Philippines, Japan, and the US follows the same tack of maintaining that international norms govern the region.

The Philippines’ position is that it is moving to ensure that its interests and needs are protected and that its actions do not prejudice other nations’ welfare.

China has warned the Philippines over the military camps hosting American troops and equipment under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, a pact that was forged in 2014.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro offered a rebuttal, saying that China has no business interfering in the accord between the US and the Philippines.

EDCA’s expansion seeks strengthened cooperation to benefit local communities as the country becomes more vulnerable to unpredictable weather patterns.

The Philippines has also been winning economic concessions from the US, particularly on microchips, a major Philippine export.

The country has cornered 20 percent of the global assembly market and the testing of vital components for computers and other advanced devices.

Closer and tighter engagements with the US are a commitment of the Philippines rooted in agreements and the historical bond between both nations.

As a neighbor, it is best for China not to eavesdrop on what’s going on between the two allies.

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