Maritime alliances with like-minded states crucial to PH — DFA

The Philippines will continue to strengthen and broaden its maritime alliances with like-minded states, a Foreign Affairs spokesman said Friday, as the country confronts an increasingly aggressive China in its waters.

However, Manila said it is not closing its doors on diplomacy when it comes to managing its disputes with Beijing over contested features in the South China Sea, stressing that the country's "maritime statecraft do not operate in isolation" as alliance-building and peaceful dialogue can be "pursued simultaneously."

"These engagements are central to one of the core dynamics of Philippine maritime statecraft: actively leveraging alliances and partnerships to uphold a rules-based maritime order grounded in international law," said Rogelio Villanueva, spokesperson of the Department of Foreign Affairs on maritime concerns, as he highlighted Manila's increasing maritime security engagements with countries like Canada and its treaty ally, the United States. Japan and Australia are also key maritime partners of the Philippines.

Since the start of the year, Villanueva said two major meetings on maritime security were held between the Philippines and Canada and the US, bringing to 11 the total number of mechanisms with other states, covering defense and security cooperation, maritime law enforcement, the blue economy, marine conservation, promotion of international law and multilateralism.

Such dialogues, he said, "collectively reinforce the goal of building the capacities and capabilities of the country's defense and security agencies."

"In this regard, the DFA plays an essential role by identifying alignments between domestic requirements and partners' areas of strength and expertise," Villanueva said.

The Philippines, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has sought to upgrade its defense capabilities as it faces China in the resource-rich South China Sea, which has flared in recent years. The years-long dispute also involve Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Manila calls parts of the South China Sea near the Philippine archipelago is called West Philippine Sea.

The Philippines won a landmark case against China's massive claim in the South China Sea before an arbitration tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands in 2016, but Beijing refused to recognize the ruling.

Even as the DFA deepens alliances and partnerships with allied countries, Villanueva said it is still important to maintain "open lines of communication with the Chinese side in pursuit of candid, constructive dialogue and practical cooperation."

In this context, he said the DFA welcomes the Senate's openness to holding a dialogue with the Chinese Embassy in Manila, "viewing such an interaction as an opportunity for frank, cordial, and professional discussion — one that can candidly address divergent positions while also identifying areas of common understanding."

While the department welcomes "diversity of opinion inherent in our democratic tradition," he reiterated that "official statements on foreign policy matters be considered in their full and proper context, particularly on issues that directly bear on the national interest."

The past few months saw Philippine officials and lawmakers and Chinese diplomats trading barbs on social media to defend their country's positions on the sea disputes.

Villanueva appealed anew to Philippine officials "for constructive engagement that advances the country's shared defense of its position in the West Philippine Sea, consistent with President Marcos' independent foreign policy and in accordance with international law."

Despite China's assertions, Villanueva maintained the Philippines' sovereignty over its archipelago and other territories — including Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, the high-tide features of the Kalayaan Island Group, and other relevant areas.

The Philippines also affirms its jurisdiction over maritime entitlements under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as clarified by the 2016 Arbitral Award, he said, stressing that these are "incontrovertible."

"These rights are firmly grounded in international law, established legal principles, effective control, and recognition through international treaties and agreements," he said, citing an official Philippine map, which clearly delineates the territories over which the country exercises sovereignty, including Kalayaan, Bajo de Masinloc, and other relevant areas.

"Together with all relevant national agencies, the DFA reaffirms its unwavering commitment to protecting the Philippines' sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, and will continue to champion the country's maritime rights and interests through effective and principled diplomacy," Villanueva said. — BAP, GMA Integrated News