There seems to be no letup in the increasingly regular and intense acts of aggression and gray-zone tactics by China in the West Philippine Sea. For example, the use of water cannons has become common fare. In March, the China Coast Guard blasted water cannons at a civilian vessel delivering supplies to troops at the BRP Sierra Madre on Ayungin Shoal. Four members of the Philippine Navy were injured.
This is but one of the many recent instances of bullying by our giant neighbor.
This only confirms that the Indo-Pacific region has become the new arena for strategic competition in the international community. Security challenges, whether they are traditional, nontraditional, or emerging, threaten to upend the rules-based international order by which all countries live in relative peace. By all means, this does not make for a secure existence in each of those countries. The safety and security—economic, included—are compromised.
How then should a national leader like President Marcos react to such incursions, ensure the protection of our people, assert our integrity, and send the message to China that what it is doing is not right?
The obvious answers will be to build our external defense capabilities and strengthen our relationships with like-minded states, those who cherish the same values as we do.
Building external defense capabilities requires both long-term planning and the ability to respond immediately when several instances arise. Recently, our Department of National Defense announced it would adopt a Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept to defend our territory. And then, Mr. Marcos signed Executive Order No. 57 s. 2024 aiming to strengthen the country’s maritime security and domain awareness. The order instituted the National Maritime Council and National Maritime Center. All these are consistent with the President’s earlier pronouncements that relevant agencies will implement “proportionate, deliberate, and reasonable” countermeasures in response to what China is doing.
Even as the region has become a hotbed for competition, it has also become a breeding ground for international cooperation. Early on in the administration, Mr. Marcos said our foreign policy would only be driven by the national interest. As a rising middle power in the Indo-Pacific, the Philippines must continue to see the world through a multipolar lens. It must pursue a strategic balancing act in its foreign policy approach and continue prioritizing building partnerships with countries that share common interests and values.
In recent days, at least two milestones were achieved on top of other partnerships and collaborations. First, amid increasing dangers to commercial shipping, the Philippines and India have agreed to collaborate on maritime security, particularly concerning Filipino seafarers. In his visit to Mr. Marcos, Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said enhancing the system to support local seafarers would greatly benefit both countries, especially amid the slowdown in sea traffic which then increases costs.
And then, the inaugural trilateral leaders’ summit with the Philippines, Japan, and the United States, took place at the White House this week. The summit aimed to address topics such as fostering inclusive economic growth and exploring emerging technologies, advancing clean energy supply chains, enhancing climate cooperation, and promoting peace and security both in the Indo-Pacific region and globally.
The steps that the Marcos administration has been taking are commendable, but it needs to get all sectors of society, not just the government, on board in this. Solutions should be produced through a whole-of-Philippine society approach, wherein collaboration is extended to other stakeholders including the private sector, academe, and civil society. To manage incidents and de-escalate tensions, there should be effective crisis communication mechanisms in place that are grounded in international law. The government should institutionalize its assertive transparency strategy in countering gray zone activities and China’s massive disinformation campaign.
Paramount to our national interest, the government must stand unwavering in its resolve, dedicating its efforts to the pivotal goal of securing a stable and peaceful Indo-Pacific. This steadfast commitment is the cornerstone of our pursuit for a global community that asserts the principles of a rules-based international order that fosters peace and sustainable economic coprosperity.
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Dindo Manhit is founder and CEO of the Stratbase Group.