CANBERRA, Australia. The Philippines is resisting increasing pressure from China to relinquish its sovereign claims in the South China Sea, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Tuesday, following discussions with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles in Canberra.
This recent meeting marks the fifth between the two countries since August 2023, underscoring the Philippines’ and Australia’s mutual security concerns regarding Chinese activities in the contested waters claimed by multiple Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines.
“What we see is an increasing demand by Beijing for us to concede our sovereign rights in the area,” Teodoro remarked, adding that the Philippines remains a “victim of Chinese aggression.”
The Philippines and Australia have reinforced their alliance through a strategic partnership agreement signed in September 2023. Since then, the two countries have conducted joint sea and air patrols in the South China Sea, with the Philippines joining military exercises in Australia earlier this year—a first for the Southeast Asian nation.
Meanwhile, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson addressed the rising tensions, claiming that Beijing’s actions responded to perceived Philippine provocations. “If the Philippines no longer infringes and provokes, there will be no more escalation of the maritime situation,” said Lin Jian at a press briefing.
This year has seen escalating disputes between China and the Philippines over several contested South China Sea regions, most notably the Scarborough Shoal, a hotspot in Asia’s territorial conflicts. On Sunday, China announced it had established “territorial waters” baselines around the shoal, following the Philippines’ approval of two new laws to bolster its maritime claims.
Manila’s national maritime council strongly objected to China’s actions, accusing Beijing of violating Philippine sovereignty. “China’s establishment of the baselines around the shoal is a continuation of its 2012 illegal seizure of the shoal, which the Philippines continues to strongly oppose,” the council stated.
Chinese state media reported a rise in China’s maritime patrols across the South China Sea, deploying thousand-tonne vessels designed for prolonged patrols and hundred-tonne patrol boats with swift maneuverability. These patrols, reportedly aimed at stricter enforcement, follow the Philippines’ newly enacted measures to reinforce its maritime rights in the region.
Since China seized the Scarborough Shoal in 2012 following a standoff, it has maintained a presence there, stationing coastguard and fishing vessels. The Philippines has frequently claimed these vessels are maritime militias deployed by Beijing.
China’s territorial claims extend across most of the South China Sea, a vital waterway channeling over $3 trillion in annual trade. Several countries, including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, also assert claims over parts of this sea. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China’s claims have “no legal basis,” a decision China rejects.
In response to these disputes, Teodoro emphasized that China’s actions contradict international law. “Although they (China) claim to act under the aegis of international law, everybody knows that what they’re doing is contrary to the tenets of international law,” Teodoro said. “The biggest evidence of this is that nobody has actually supported their actions or activities.”
To bolster its defense capabilities, the Philippines plans to invest at least $33 billion in advanced weaponry, including fighter jets and mid-range missiles. Additionally, Australia expressed its intent to deepen cooperation with the Philippine defense sector, with Marles announcing plans to deploy an engineering assessment team to the Philippines in early 2025.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
