Defense relations remain strong

Defense relations between the Philippines and the United States remain strong in light of China's militarization of almost the entire South China Sea. It is no secret that China has placed military weapons and equipment in the artificial islands it created along with its massive coast guard fleet and maritime militia feigning to be fishing boats. Many places are already controlled by China where they send out verbal warnings when sea vessels sail or aircraft fly into their perceived territory. The United States and other countries stress freedom of navigation and overflight when warned. These flights will supposedly continue along with naval vessels sailing in recognized international waters.

President Duterte has twice invoked the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with America, albeit sarcastically. He recently asked the US to send its Seventh Fleet “in front of China” tagging along Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Carpio, former ombudsman Conchita Morales, former Department of Foreign Affairs secretary Albert Del Rosario, and other individuals critical of the territorial issues in the West Philippine Sea. He will board the ship where the US admiral is and will “press”. I suppose that means he will press something to activate a weapon that would start a war. He also called on the US to declare war on China and promised to join them as stipulated in the MDT. He adds to do so would be the end of Palawan and even the whole country, again I suppose because of the use of nuclear weapons. I wonder what the world thinks of his statements, sarcastic or not?

But I don’t believe anyone in the country wants a shooting war with China. What we are asking is mutual respect for sovereignty and sovereign rights which we obviously are not getting from China. The incident at Recto Bank has already proven that. The Duterte administration has downplayed the incident even rationalizing China’s presence into our EEZ by conveniently divulging an agreement was struck between the country and China. The United States remains compliant to the MDT once any of our civilian or military vessels or aircraft is attacked in the South China Sea. A miscalculation similar to the shooting down of a Malaysian Airlines plane over Ukrainian airspace is unthinkable.

Indonesia has in the past destroyed Chinese fishing vessels illegally entering its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Did it cause China to send warships into Indonesia's doorstep? No, because Indonesia shows no fear. In 2016, Indonesia President Joko Widodo boarded a warship and sailed to the Natuna Islands at the edge of the South China Sea to assert their sovereignty. What exactly have we shown China aside from fear? Vietnam has recently asserted sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the East Sea in accordance with the 1982 UNCLOS. China is a signatory to UNCLOS. Vietnam is the only country that has clashed with China in 1988 over territorial ownership of the Johnson South Reef. Vietnam lost soldiers and a couple of naval vessels in the conflict. It is open to resolving all territorial issues in a peaceful manner. The Philippines should follow suit by peacefully asserting all our rights to our EEZ. After all, we share the same territorial problems.