A militarized solution will not de-escalate tension in the South China Sea, rather it will only draw the Philippines into “conflicts that serve the interests of others”, a forum in Manila heard on July 29.
According to experts who participated in the forum, the Philippine government should focus on diplomatic solutions to its maritime disputes over the strategic waterway instead of expanding US military access to the country.
The hybrid forum came ahead of the visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III to Manila for the 4th Philippines-US Foreign and Defense Ministerial Dialogue on July 30.
Organized by the Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies, ACPh President Herman Tiu Laurel opened the forum by warning against US-sponsored warfare and using the Philippines as a forefront to launch a war in Asia.
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ACPh Vice-President for External Affairs Anna Rosario Malindog-Uy said establishing US military bases in the Philippines under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) “places our country at the forefront of geopolitical tensions that are not of our making”.
“It risks drawing us into conflicts that serve the interests of others, particularly the United States, rather than our own,” Malindog-Uy said, noting that Philippine security policy should prioritize peace, diplomacy, and mutual respect between nations.
“Our opposition is not rooted in anti-American sentiment but in a firm belief that true security and stability are achieved through peaceful means, not military might,” she said.
“We respect the United States as a friend and ally but friendship does not mean allowing ourselves to be entangled in their conflicts,” Malindog-Uy added.
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Rommel Banlaoi, president of the Philippine Society for International Security Studies, said that negotiations, such as holding bilateral consultation mechanisms on the South China Sea, have shown that diplomatic means can effectively settle the dispute.
He recalled that just six days after Beijing and Manila reached a “provisional agreement” on Ren’Ai Reef on July 21, the Philippines completed an uninterrupted resupply mission to its troops at the grounded vessel on the shoal, though under Chinese supervision.
“We really need direct consultation and negotiations to peacefully settle our territorial disputes and maritime jurisdictional conflicts,” Banlaoi said.
He noted that Vietnam also has competing claims in the South China Sea, while Malaysia and the Philippines have a territorial dispute over the eastern part of Sabah in North Borneo.
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Banlaoi said that despite these disputes the Philippines has managed to retain friendly ties with both Southeast Asian countries.
He said the same situation can be expected for Philippine relations with China but only if the Philippines declines to follow the dictates of the US.
Instead, it must go with the sentiment of its fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he said.
Like ASEAN, the Philippines needs to declare the region as a zone of peace, freedom, and neutrality, Banlaoi said.
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He cited the ancient barter trade between China and the Philippines, noting how the South China Sea “was the source of our connection, not division” for thousands of years.
Banlaoi said the Philippines and China can work on various areas of cooperation on the South China Sea such as marine scientific research, marine environmental protection, search and rescue operations, safety of navigation at sea, and combating transnational crimes.
Arnedo Valera, a Washington-based lawyer and an active leader of the Filipino-American community, said that the Philippines is now at a crossroads and the tension over the South China Sea needs immediate action.
Valera recalled Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s promise that under his administration, the country’s foreign policy would adhere to neutrality and be a friend to everyone.
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He said adhering to this policy would have ensured that the Philippines would not be dragged into major geopolitical conflicts.
Valera said the EDCA does not help the Philippines apart from preparing for a possible war.
He said the government should instead focus on policies that will serve its citizens’ basic needs including food security, creating more jobs, and social justice.
An online signature campaign against war was launched at the end of the forum.
