West PH Sea: Regional, global powers vow continued support for Philippines

Global and regional powers led by the United States on Friday vowed continued support for the Philippines as tensions in the disputed South China Sea rise amid China's increasingly aggressive behavior.

As the Philippines marked the eighth anniversary of the arbitral ruling that invalidated China's massive claim in resource-rich waters, the US, Canada, Australia, France and Japan called on China to stop its "illegal," "dangerous" and "deeply concerning pattern of behavior" and to adhere to the rule of law.

"The United States is proud to stand with the Philippines as we work together to bolster our 73-year-old alliance," said MaryKay Carlson, Washington's top diplomat to Manila, at a forum commemorating the landmark decision by a The Hague-based tribunal that ruled in favor of the Philippines in July 12, 2016.

"Described as ironclad and on hyperdrive, our alliance grows stronger by the day through 500 joint exercises and other engagements every single year," the American envoy said.

Carlson said the international community has expanded networks of support for the Philippines through joint sails and other multilateral cooperative activities to show its "unprecedented show of solidarity."

"The volume of condemnation from the international community is loud and getting louder, and it speaks to our common resolve in support of the international rules and norms that benefit us all," Carlson said.

Since Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. assumed the presidency in 2022, the Philippines, US, Japan, Australia, Canada, and France have engaged in joint patrols in the South China Sea—a move, which Carlson said, "sends a clear message that we are all committed to upholding freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law."

Marcos' predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, moved to mend ties with China that deteriorated under former President Benigno Aquino III, who initiated the filing of the arbitration case, in exchange for economic aid and investments. Despite Duterte's gambit, Chinese aggression against the Philippines in the South China Sea has persisted.

The arbitration decision declared China's historic claim over nearly the entire waters as illegal under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), considered as the constitution of the seas. China, however, ignored the decision, calling it "ill-founded" and "naturally null and void."

The decision defined for the first time which South China Sea features were considered islands, rocks and low-tide elevations under UNCLOS, a crucial declaration since the assessment will define what extent of territorial waters can be projected by a particular type of maritime feature.

China and the Philippines are among the 163 signatory states to the treaty.

The decision, however, remains in a legal limbo after the decision was handed down eight years ago because the tribunal does not have the power to enforce the ruling.

'A powerful message'

For France, the 2016 Arbitral Award "sends to the world a powerful message for which we must thank the Philippines."

"It became a building block of a reaffirmed world-based international order that we all benefit from," French Ambassador Marie Fontanel said in her speech.

Fontanel lamented how the ruling "is being challenged in many ways," which "undermines our long-term collective peace and prosperity."

The Philippines, she noted, is a key partner for France as both states are maritime nations.

France, Fontanel said, has a stake in the Indo-Pacific as it has overseas territories in the region, which is home to around 2 million French nationals.

While France does not take sides in the years-long territorial row in the South China Sea, Fontanel said her country opposed "total disregard of good seamanship and neglect in any precaution regarding the international regulations for preventing collisions at sea."

On June 17, Chinese coast guard personnel armed with axes and spears injured Filipino navy personnel, including one who lost his right thumb, and damaged two Philippine boats in the most violent confrontation to date between the two countries.

Manila demanded China to pay 60 million pesos in damages for seizing two Philippine boats and several rifles from the Filipino servicemen, who conducted a resupply operation at the Second Thomas Shoal, where a World War II-era vessel has been intentionally grounded by the Philippine government in 1998 to serve as a military outpost in the area being claimed by Beijing as its own.

The incident triggered alarm and condemnation from several countries and prompted fresh warning from Washington that it has a treaty obligation to defend the Philippines from hostile armed attacks.

"Daily news keep on reminding us these issues only worsen since then, requiring increased vigilance and resources from all like-minded partners. In this context, France made a clear choice to significantly step up its bilateral relations with the Philippines," Fontanel said.

France and the Philippines are currently in talks for a possible Visiting Forces Agreement, which will allow French forces to train with Filipino counterparts.

'Requires all our efforts'

Australian Ambassador HK Yu said that regional peace and security is being endangered by China's aggressive tactics.

Unlawful claims being asserted through intimidation and unsafe behavior increases the risks of accidents and miscalculation, she said, adding "provocative and destabilizing actions are raising tensions."

Australia, one of the only three strategic partners of the Philippines after Vietnam and Japan, "is deeply concerned about the illegal boarding and towing of Philippine vessels, seizure of equipment and harm to Philippine personnel" undertaking resupply mission to the Second Thomas Shoal, which is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

"This most recent conduct is an escalation in a deeply concerning pattern of behavior by China." Yu said as she highlighted the need for "collective pursuit" to promote rule of law.

"Maritime security is not something that can be achieved alone, it requires all our efforts," she said, stressing that there should be shared interest in upholding and protecting international law and the international rules-based system.

"A system where every country, big or small, operates by the long-established rules, standards and laws that support peace, stability and prosperity. Rules which we have had opportunities to shape and to which we have agreed," Yu said.

She added, "Rules that support each country to pursue its own aspirations in a region where no country dominates and no country is dominated. A system where even when countries disagree, as on occasion we will do, those disagreements are resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, not through intimidation and coercion."

'Utterly inconsistent'

Canadian Ambassador David Hartman said the Philippines must be able to exercise freedom of navigation as well as enjoy the sovereign rights to which it is entitled within its exclusive economic zone.

Hartman deplored China's violent actions, such as the use of water cannons, dangerous maneuvers and ramming or boarding of Philippine vessels, the use of weapons, such as knives and spears, to disable Philippine vessels and injure Philippine personnel.

The Chinese Coast Guard's behavior "is utterly inconsistent with the PRC's obligations under international law," Hartman said as he vowed Canada's commitment to continue to work with the Philippines, as well as with our allies and partners, "to provide meaningful support to regional peace and security and to uphold the rule of law in the maritime domain."

The Philippines and Canada have signed an agreement that allows Ottawa to help Manila monitor its coastal waters and the high seas using a Canadian satellite surveillance program.

Canada's Dark Vessel program harnesses satellite technology to be able to locate and track ships illegally fishing anywhere even if they switch off their location transmitting devices to evade monitoring and surveillance.

'As allies, partners, friends'

While the 2016 arbitral award showed "crystal clear directions in navigating the turbulent waters of the South China Sea," Japan's Ambassador Endo Kazuya said "the actual situations on the sea remain challenging and complex."

"As international law has not been fully equipped with centralized mandatory enforcement mechanisms. The cornerstone lies in fostering the respect for the rules-based international order," Kazuya said. "The power of international voices holds importance in shaping outcomes."

Kazuya assured the Philippines that it has the support and backing of many like-minded countries and "as allies, partners, friends, we stand united in navigating these uncertain waters and uphold the fundamental principles that safeguard our shared waters."

Early this week, the Philippines and Japan signed a key defense agreement, called the Reciprocal Access Agreement or RAA, which will allow military personnel from both countries to hold joint military trainings in each other's country.

"Japan is undeterred to fulfill its commitment. As Japan and the Philippines are neighboring maritime nations, we have a shared responsibility in upholding and protecting the peace and stability across the region," Kazuya said.

Japan is also set to provide five 97-meter patrol ships that would strengthen the country's capability to guard its territory at a time of increased hostilities with China in the South China Sea.

Provision of the vessels will be facilitated under a JPY 64.38-billion or approximately P23.85-billion Official Development Assistance loan arrangement by Japan to the Philippines for the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP) Phase III of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

"We need to envision a future where the seas serve as a bridge that unites rather than divides us," said Kazuya.

"Let us turn our collective aspirations into tangible and concrete actions that ensure the rule of law prevails and that our shared vision becomes a lasting reality for our present and future generations." — VDV, GMA Integrated News