PHL urged to set clearer maritime stance amid rising tensions with China

By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter

THE Philippines needs a clearer and more consistent position on sovereignty and maritime rights as geopolitical competition intensifies in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in the South China Sea, where repeated confrontations have raised security risks, a political analyst said.

“As Filipinos, we must be clear as to what is ours and we must do all that we can to support every little initiative that can help us strengthen our position in our territory,” Don McLain Gill, a faculty member of De La Salle University’s Department of International Studies, said at the BusinessWorld Economic Forum on Monday.

He said the Philippines is being pushed to recalibrate its defense and foreign policy posture as tensions deepen between major powers, with the South China Sea emerging as a central flashpoint.

Mr. Gill described China as the Philippines’ “most acute challenge,” pointing to what he said is a gap between Beijing’s diplomatic messaging and actions at sea.

“When asked how we gauge our relationship with China, I say: look at what is taking place at sea,” he said, citing what the Armed Forces of the Philippines describes as “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive” activities in Philippine waters.

He said Chinese coast guard, maritime militia and naval presence have expanded beyond disputed areas into waters closer to the Philippines’ northern coast, increasing pressure on Manila’s defense planning.

Mr. Gill also raised concern over so-called “gray zone” activities, including unauthorized marine research operations within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

He said the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has moved toward a “comprehensive archipelagic defense concept,” integrating territorial defense, maritime security and economic resilience.

The Philippines, he added, should invest more in asymmetric defense capabilities such as drones, autonomous vessels, artificial intelligence and maritime domain awareness systems to offset China’s bigger military capacity.

He also said global tensions, including the war in the Middle East and risks to key shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz, highlight the importance of securing maritime chokepoints.

He identified the Balabac Strait, Luzon Strait, Camiguin Strait and Cebu Strait as critical passages for safeguarding trade and energy flows.

“We have a unique position,” he said, citing the Philippines’ alliance with the US under the Mutual Defense Treaty while also sharing close proximity with China.

Manila and Washington recently concluded their annual Balikatan military exercises, which this year involved Australia, Canada, France, Japan and New Zealand, marking the largest iteration to date.

As chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, the Philippines is also pushing a legally binding code of conduct in the South China Sea to support the 2016 arbitral ruling by a United Nations-backed court in The Hague favoring the Philippines.

However, ASEAN’s consensus-based approach and noninterference principle may slow progress, particularly as some member states maintain close economic ties with Beijing.