Philippines seeks diplomatic means in South China Sea disputes but will defend sovereign rights: Foreign Secretary

SINGAPORE: The Philippines is willing to discuss and manage its maritime tensions with China via diplomatic means but will not compromise on its territorial sovereignty, said its foreign affairs chief.

“We're committed to resolving any incidents or disputes through peaceful means, in accordance with international law, and that has always been our position,” said Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.

“While we're willing to discuss ways to manage tensions, they will not be at the expense of our sovereign rights and our sovereignty.”

Ties between the Philippines and China have soured in the past few years over increasingly frequent confrontations in the contested South China Sea, or the West Philippine Sea – the name Manila uses.

Manila has condemned what it sees as aggression by Beijing at sea while China has accused the Philippines of repeated encroachment in its waters.

China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including areas that overlap with the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the Philippines and several other nations.

EEZs extend 200 nautical miles from a nation’s coast, within which that state has rights over exploration and the usage of marine resources.
 

“Our activities in our exclusive economic zone are legal (and) in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” said Manalo.

“We're merely asserting our rights. We hope that those rights can be respected, and we are determined to defend them,” he said.

NOTHING TO DO WITH THE US

Manalo said China tends to view tensions between Manila and Beijing through the prism of United States-China competition, instead of as a bilateral issue.

He added such a view could impede ties between Manila and Beijing.

“The Philippines isn't undertaking our efforts in the EEZ because of the US, we're simply trying to assert our rights under the law. (This) should be viewed in terms of Philippine-China relations and how we can try to improve them,” he said.

Philippine authorities have maintained their so-called “assertive transparency” approach since early 2023, publicising Chinese actions in the disputed sea passage that include harassment of ships and fishermen.

“Transparency is meant to show the truth. We are merely practising our legal rights, and we did not start confrontations,” Manalo said of the strategy.

“All we were trying to do, in some cases, is resupply our troops or guide our fishermen, yet we were subjected to harassment, intimidation, even collisions and water cannons. So, the best way to show our point is to publicise it … showing the facts as they are.”

DEFENCE UPGRADES

The Philippines is a long-time US ally, and a mutual treaty obligates Washington and Manila to help defend each other in major conflict.

Last month, the Philippines announced plans to acquire the US Typhon missile system amid efforts to secure its maritime interests, sparking criticisms from China that the move risks a regional "arms race”.

The purchase is expected to take at least two years to complete.

Manalo said the acquisition is “intended only to modernise our defense forces (and) enhance our defence capabilities”.

“We are committed to peace in the region. So, any kind of upgrade … is really to improve our own defensive capacities, and not for any kind of any other type of action.”

INCOMING TRUMP PRESIDENCY

Manalo said he expects the Philippine-US relationship to remain good when Donald Trump takes over the US presidency on Jan 20, buoyed by decades of cooperation on common interests.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, in a congratulatory phone call with Trump after the US election last November, discussed both countries' desire to strengthen their alliance.

“(Marcos and Trump’s) exchange gives the confidence that things will be as it is. It appears we have very common perceptions of the situation here in the region,” Manalo said.

“We now have many areas of cooperation … not just defence and military, but (also) economic (and) private sector cooperation.”

He pointed to Trump’s first term in office between 2017 and 2021, when both nations enjoyed robust ties. Trump even hailed a “great relationship” with Philippines’ then-President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Our alliance has gotten stronger, our partnership has been stronger… Much of this military cooperation is part of our mutual defence treaty … plus various other arrangements like our Visiting Forces Agreement,” he said.

“These are based on commitments which we have had with the US for the past 75 years … and they will continue.”