China’s President Xi jinpings’ November visit to the Philippines should concern the U.S. and its allies.
Xinghua, the official government news agency of China, reports that “China and the Philippines agreed … to upgrade their ties to comprehensive strategic cooperation… The Philippine side is ready to deepen the relations of comprehensive strategic cooperation with China on the basis of mutual respect, mutual understanding and sovereign equality, strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, defense, health, drug control, improvement of livelihood, infrastructure construction and energy, as well as expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges in education and human resources.”
Philstar, a key Philippine news source, reports that a “memorandum of understanding (MOU) on joint oil and gas development in the West Philippine Sea was signed. The joint exploration for oil and gas in the West Philippine Sea between the Philippines and China would not affect sovereign rights and claims of the two countries over the disputed waters, according to a draft framework agreement released by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV yesterday. The MOU was among 29 agreements signed by Manila and Beijing at the start of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s two-day state visit in the Philippines.”
President Duterte has moved his nation away from the U.S. and closer to China. According to the official Philippine government news agency “Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday said the relationship between China and the Philippines has “turned around” since Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte assumed office in 2016. Xi made this remark in his toast during the state banquet in his honor which was hosted by President Duterte at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang.’After President Duterte took office, our two sides have worked together to remove many obstacles. Our relationship has been turned around and put on the right trajectory,’ Xi said in his speech.’”
There is significant dissent within the Philippine government to President Duterte’s efforts to move closer to Beijing, a reflection of his anger which reached a high point during the Obama Administration. Philstar reports that “The Duterte government must heed the general sentiments of Filipinos to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), former solicitor general Florin Hilbay said yesterday. Sen. Risa Hontiveros aired a similar concern as she urged President Duterte to stop kowtowing to China and start asserting Philippine sovereignty”
Robert Kaplan, a former member of the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board, notes that “China’s increasing geopolitical sway over Manila is helped by the fact that China is the Philippines third largest trading partner. There is also the extreme wealth and influence of China’s émigré community in the Philippines.”
Relations between Manila, a long-time U.S. ally, and Washington deteriorated dramatically during the Obama Administration. The failure of the Obama Administration to respond to China’s 2013 aggression towards the Philippines was a crucial factor in the alienation.
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The facts are harsh and undeniable. China took possession of almost every off-shore Philippine oceanic economic claim, although some access has been allowed. From the 2011 attack on Philippine fishing boats within Manila’s Exclusive Economic Zone and throughout the Obama Administration, America was essentially been missing in action in response to the aggression. Overall, the United States has barely lifted a finger to assist one of its oldest regional allies, failing even to lodge diplomatic protests at some of China’s most serious offenses.
While there have been past episodes of pique between Washington and Manila (in 1991, the U.S. was told to leave its naval base in Subic Bay) the current tilt towards China may prove to be the most serious split between the two nations.
The National Interest noted during China’s invasion that “The Obama administration continues to equivocate on the question of whether the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty … covers Philippine-claimed land features in the South China Sea.”
In 2016, the World Court ruled that China’s move against the Philippines was illegal. The Obama Administration continued to do nothing. In October of that year, Philippine President Rodrigo threatened to “break up” with the US and said President Barack Obama can “go to hell.”
The growing strength of China’s navy compared to the United States in the region is a particular worry. Seth Cropsey, former U.S. Navy Deputy Undersecretary, warns that “Subtract or diminish American seapower in a strategically critical oceanic region and power relationships readjust, stability diminishes, and established alliances shake.”
Photo: President Xi arrives in Philippines (Philippine government news agency)