News Desk
In the contested waters of the South China Sea, where geopolitical rivalries ripple through maritime trade routes, the Philippines is adopting a strategy of strengthened alliances. Amid escalating tensions with Beijing, Manila is forging defense agreements with like-minded democracies, including Canada and New Zealand, while deepening its longstanding military partnership with the United States.
The effort, framed as a way to “sufficiently deter China,” reflects a recalibration of Philippine foreign policy under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Analysts describe this as part of a broader “reset” aimed at securing the nation’s maritime claims while safeguarding freedom of navigation in one of the world’s busiest trade corridors.
By pursuing new defense pacts and expanding joint military drills, the Philippines is signaling its intention to diversify its security partnerships. These moves align with a regional trend: smaller nations seeking to hedge their bets amid great-power competition. As Canada’s ambassador to the Philippines, David Hartman, noted, agreements like the proposed Visiting Forces Agreement enable multilateral training and operations, bolstering collective readiness in the Indo-Pacific.
For Manila, these partnerships are as much about optics as strategy. The message to Beijing is clear: unilateral actions in the South China Sea will not go uncontested, especially when multiple democracies are united in response.
Beijing’s dismissal of recent joint drills as a threat to “peace and stability” is telling. While these defense initiatives may not fundamentally alter China’s assertive behavior in the region, they add complexity to its strategic calculus. A militarily strengthened Philippines, backed by global allies, presents a more formidable deterrent, even if only incrementally.
Yet, as Collin Koh of Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies cautions, China’s long-term approach is unlikely to shift overnight. The maritime power imbalance remains tilted in Beijing’s favor, and the Philippines’ efforts, while notable, do not yet constitute a game-changing realignment.
The geopolitical stakes in the South China Sea extend far beyond the region. With an estimated one-third of global trade transiting these waters, the security of these routes is a shared concern for democracies worldwide. By partnering with Manila, nations like Canada and New Zealand are protecting not only Philippine sovereignty but their own economic interests.
For Washington, the Philippines remains a critical ally in countering Beijing’s influence in the Indo-Pacific. Discussions between military leaders about enhancing joint exercises and modernizing Philippine forces underscore a renewed commitment to the decades-old Mutual Defense Treaty.
While these efforts bolster Manila’s defense posture, they also reflect the delicate balancing act required of a nation navigating the pressures of great-power competition. Too close an alignment with the West risks further antagonizing Beijing, with whom the Philippines has deep economic ties.
For now, the Philippines’ strategy seems focused on incremental gains—strengthening alliances, modernizing its military, and signaling its resolve without provoking outright confrontation. In the turbulent waters of the South China Sea, these moves may not settle disputes, but they send a powerful reminder that Manila will not stand alone.
