BECAUSE OF WHERE WE ARE

September 29, 2024 Opinion

China has continued to ramp up and bolster its presence in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) with the latest occurring just a couple of days ago when it deployed for patrol 11 Peoples Liberation Army – Navy (PLA N) warships at Escoda (Sabina) shoal which is located 75 nautical miles or about 140 kms off Palawan and is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. This came about after the largest ship of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the BRP Teresa Magbanua, was pulled out of the Sabina shoal due to the bad weather condition, lack of supplies for its crew and apparent lack of seaworthiness.

But to those not yet aware you might be surprised to learn that the Sabina shoal, which is obviously much closer geographically and physically to the Philippines than China has always been one of the main locations in the West Philippine sea that involved confrontations between the two countries beginning in 1995. Here is a list of significant incidents that have transpired involving the Philippines and China at the Sabina shoal which to a greater extent greatly contributed to the present perilous situation at the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea):

In 1995 China installed three buoys – a floating object moored to the bottom to mark a channel or something (such as a shoal) lying under the water which were later confiscated by the Philippines; on April of 2021 seven militia vessels of China were spotted anchored by the Sabina shoal and later left the area after they were challenged by the BRP Cabra of the PCG; China in April of 2024 deployed its 12,000 ton 165 meter coast guard ship AKA “the Monster” as a response to the deployment and stationing of the BRP Magbanua of the PCG at the said shoal; and the most critical incident was when the China Coast Guard vessel 5205 repeatedly rammed the BRP Teresa Magbanua of the PCG in August 31, 2024 which led to the condemnation of China by not only the Philippines but also by the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and the European Union for its actions.

If we are to truly understand why China is acting this way against the Philippines, as well as against some other countries in South East Asia such as Vietnam who are also claimants of islands in the West Philippine sea, it becomes vital to realize that the geographical location of the Philippines is the real reason China is behaving like a bully. In an article by Jim Thomas of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) bearing the title “The Geostrategic Return of the Philippines” published in April of 2012 it noted that the Philippines “lie at a vital maritime crossroads through which passes more than half of the world’s shipping tonnage and 80 percent of crude oil shipments headed to Japan and South Korea.

The strategic importance of this archipelago nation is enduring. Over a century ago, the famed US naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan extolled the importance of the Philippines’ “narrow seas.” For much of the twentieth century, it played a central role in US strategy as a key logistics node for American air and naval forces and the geostrategic linchpin between East and Southeast Asia.” The article then gives this ominous observation, “Neutralizing the Philippines appears to be a critical element of China’s strategic design. If China could force the Philippines to accommodate its claims over the South China Sea, it would greatly strengthen its hand vis-à-vis other claimants like Vietnam and Malaysia. Beijing would be able to gain through coercion what it could not through negotiation.

Such an outcome would undermine the peace and prosperity that has characterized the region since the Cold War’s end, to the benefit of all its inhabitants.” This was way back in 2012 or 12 years ago and now here in 2024 China is overtly manifesting through intimidation and harassment its strategy of “forcing the Philippines to accommodate its claims over the South China Sea” and thus gain the upper hand and advantage in relation to the other claimants in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). To those who believe that by becoming and staying neutral the Philippines would avoid being intimidated, harassed and run roughshod by China they would be in for a rude awakening once they realize that China is already preparing to dominate the entire of South East Asia not only economically but also militarily.

That is the strategic grand design of China for South East Asia and the Philippines is right in the middle of it. So whether we have the US and other countries as allies or not the Philippines will always be in the crosshairs of China because of its strategic location. Try to answer this question, “Can you negotiate peacefully with a bully?”.