The defense chief positions the Philippines as a hub for the Indo-Pacific

THE PHILIPPINES has positioned itself as a meeting point for like-minded countries committed to an order based on the laws of the sea, said Defense Secretary Gilberto Eduardo C. Teodoro, Jr. on Sunday, when he presented the vision of the country to be the guardian of the oceans.

Speaking at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Mr. Teodoro emphasized this role, noting that the country’s allies, even those with differences, find common ground in Philippine waters.

“In a disintegrating world, the Philippines is strong, and blessed to call on international actors on all fronts, to protect shared values, especially freedom of the seas, respect for the rule of law, especially the rights of minorities and the territorial integrity of all states,” he said in a live broadcast speech.

Mr. Teodoro presented the vision of the Philippines, Archipelagic Sentinel and Guardian of the Freedom of the Seas, based on four fundamental principles: sovereignty and territorial integrity, international law, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and prohibition.

“Finally, as a Strategic Sentinel, we will look after our sovereignty and our right, and as the Guardian of Maritime Freedom, we will face the international community in this part of the world.”

The defense official said the idea is already working through the Philippines’ growing network of allies and partners, including the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France and India. He noted the openness of the Philippines to the participation of other countries that share its commitment to an “open and open Indo-Pacific.”

“May I note that none of the ASEAN countries have ever said that these maritime cooperation activities undermine the peace and security of the region,” he said, even mentioning Indonesia’s recent move to improve defense ties with Australia, Japan and the United States, all of which are Philippine treaty partners.

CHINESE ACTS
“However, this task has been facilitated by growing concerns about the behavior of a certain actor against its much smaller neighbors,” he said, referring to China, which continued to ignore a 2016 ruling that removed its claims in the South China Sea.

Mr. Teodoro earlier said that the Philippines is still threatened by China despite the recent decline in US-China tensions.

China’s military and coast guard said they carried out patrolling operations near disputed waters in the South China Sea on Sunday.

Philippine and US militaries held a five-day exercise in the same waters last week near Scarborough Shoal, the third such exercise this year, to strengthen cooperation and security at sea, the Philippine military said on Sunday.

The Scarborough Shoal, in waters Manila calls the West Philippine Sea, is one of Asia’s most disputed maritime features and has become a flashpoint between China and the Philippines over sovereignty and fishing rights.

CHINA CALLS FOR ‘RIGHTS FAILURE, STRONG ACTION’
The People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theater Command in a statement on the WeChat platform said that its military and air bases have conducted combat readiness patrols in the “sea and air space” of the atoll and its surrounding areas.

“Such a circular serves as an effective measure to deal with all kinds of violations of rights and provocative acts,” the order said. It did not mention specific countries.

China’s coast guard said in a separate statement that it had deployed a law enforcement team near Scarborough Shoal, adding that since this month it has been dealing with ships that have been engaged in “illegal rights-violation activities in accordance with laws and regulations,” without elaborating.

The Philippine Navy said the exercise with the US from Tuesday to Saturday, including a board-search-and-seizure exercise, underscored the commitment of both countries to a strong defense relationship, improved maritime domain awareness and support for law-based order at sea.

The Philippine embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

‘BIG THREAT’
China’s surveillance comes as defense ministers, army chiefs and policymakers from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond gather in Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense forum.

Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the meeting, Mr. Teodoro said Manila is still under a “great threat” from China geographically and politically, despite the recent escalation of US-China tensions following the summit between President Donald J. Trump and Xi Jinping this month.

“We have no choice but to be strong and resist China’s aggression,” he said.

The Philippines and China have been locked in repeated maritime disputes in the South China Sea in recent years, sometimes resulting in ship collisions and injuries to crews.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea by using a “nine-dash line” on its maps that cuts through the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. – Pexcel John Bacon again Reuters