Just when we think China has outdone itself in displaying aggressive behavior—and utter disrespect for the rule of law—in the West Philippine Sea, it proves us wrong. Recently, our aggressive neighbor to the Northwest showed it could infringe into Philippine territory, both in the maritime domain and our airspace as well.
In the maritime domain, China Coast Guard ships shamelessly rammed into Philippine Coast Guard vessels BRP Bagacay and BRP Cape Engaño last Aug. 19. The incident, which took place in Escoda Shoal, damaged Filipino assets and endangered the lives of personnel.
China’s claim is baseless and proves that it is a mouthpiece for disinformation. Its illegal and dangerous maneuvers against Philippine vessels only goes to show that China has no intentions of adhering to its obligations and commitments under international law. For China, whatever diplomatic means pursued to alleviate tensions such as the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism, is only a piece of paper.
Meanwhile, on Aug. 8, two People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) dropped flares on the path of the Philippine Air Force over Bajo de Masinloc and executed dangerous maneuvers there. This was while the Philippine Air Force was conducting a routine air patrol over the area. The incident endangered the lives of Filipino soldiers onboard the aircraft. This is an unauthorized flight into Philippine airspace and a clear violation of international law. Specifically, China’s actions are a direct violation of the Convention on International Civil Aviation or the Chicago Convention.
The Palace issued a statement on Aug. 11 condemning the incident, saying that the PLAAF’s maneuvers were unjustified, illegal, and reckless. Malacañang, while reiterating the Philippines’ commitment to resolving conflicts through peaceful means, strongly urged China to act in a responsible manner both in the seas and in the skies. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro remarked that the Philippines will not let the incident slide. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo stated that the Department of Foreign Affairs will be filing a diplomatic protest. On Aug. 12, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea also issued a statement condemning the irresponsible, unprofessional, illegal, and dangerous acts.
What was glaring was the fact that the Aug. 8 PLAAF incident happened despite the supposed Bilateral Consultation Mechanism of the two countries. And, of course, last January it was agreed that Beijing and Manila would establish a direct line of communication to deal with such incidents.
What a show of bad faith.
We have no recourse but to believe that it no longer matters how many agreements we sign or how many so-called hotlines we establish on all levels of the bureaucracy. All these would be useless unless China first recognizes its obligations under international law. Filipinos know better than to be cowed by this display of brazenness. China’s actions have done nothing to dampen our will to defend what is ours and to maintain order and civilized behavior in the region. We take comfort in the support of many like-minded partners across the globe. They know and understand the importance of having a free and open Indo-Pacific, and of abiding by a rules-based international order for the peace and stability of all.
On Aug. 7-8, the multilateral maritime cooperative activity took place, with Australia, Canada, and the United States, together with the Philippines, conducting the first such event to enhance interoperability and cooperation among participating forces. Also this month, the first-ever Philippines-Vietnam joint coast guard exercise, humanitarian in nature, took place.
And then, on Aug. 12, both Houses of Congress ratified the conference committee report of the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act, which aims to support the development of the defense industry and its capability to locally produce advanced weaponry and equipment for the armed forces. Other defense cooperation agreements—with Germany, New Zealand, Canada, and France—are in the pipeline.
The Marcos administration’s multilateral approach to addressing issues in the West Philippine Sea is supported by the majority of Filipinos. A Pulse Asia survey conducted in June 2024 showed that 74 percent of Filipinos believe the Marcos administration must work with the US amid tension in the West Philippine Sea. Other countries include Japan (44 percent), Canada (41 percent), Australia (36 percent), and Great Britain (27 percent). Meanwhile, a staggering 95 percent of Filipinos believe that the current administration must not engage with China.
With support coming from the people, the administration enjoys sufficient mandate to strengthen its external defense capabilities. So as China outperforms itself in taking one aggressive step after another, so must we be unrelenting in our assertion that these actions have no place in a civilized world.
We, along with our friends in the international community, will continue to uphold respect, order, and peace above all.
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Dindo Manhit is founder and CEO of the Stratbase Group.