Because of a Mutual Defense Treaty, it’s not news why American forces are in the Philippines.
What’s news is the presence here of foot soldiers and maritime forces of other countries as well.
And if you’re wondering why all those foreign warships are or were docked in Philippine ports, it’s in their self-interest as well to be here.
Of course, China’s arbitrary nine-dash line without specific coordinates claiming the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea drives other nations to our shores.
The claim has pushed America, Japan, and Australia to anchor their warships in Philippine waters and conduct joint patrols with the Philippine Navy. This happened just last April in the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone. Called the Maritime Cooperative Activity, it started in November in response to Chinese harassment of the Philippine Coast Guard around Scarborough Shoal and the abandoned BRP Sierra Madre ship at the Second Thomas Shoal.
Key Priority
The Philippines has invited more countries to join naval exercises; Canada, France, and India have expressed interest in doing so.
The naval exercises in April showed what U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called a “shared commitment to ensuring that all countries are free to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows.” Those are the keywords that explain why foreign navies and forces are here.
In December, India and the Philippines conducted a “Maritime Partnership Exercise” (MPX) in the West Philippine Sea. The Indian Navy conducts MPX with friendly navies to enhance interoperability, share best practices, and contribute to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
It's a “key priority” for India, said Shambhu Kumaran, India’s Ambassador to Manila.
“The Philippines is centrally located in the Indo-Pacific and we are very close partners, fellow democracies. We have a shared interest in peace and stability of the region – a lot of complementarities. Expect that India will continue a strong Navy and maritime security engagement. Defense cooperation and maritime security is very important.”
A Cornerstone
The following month, in January, the United Kingdom and the Philippines signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation. It’s called by the UK Embassy in Manila as the cornerstone of “our defense relationship” in the next five years. It outlined the intent of defense engagements, from military exercises, training, and modernization, to the maritime domain, Exclusive Economic Zone, and the UK’s participation in military exercises.
Also in January, the “Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity” (MMCA) naval exercises were conducted by the United States, Australia, Japan, and the Philippines – their first-ever joint maritime exercises in the West Philippine Sea. The defense chiefs of the four countries called the MMCA a demonstration of “collective commitment to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
It happened a few days ahead of the first trilateral summit of the leaders of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines in Washington DC.
Expectations
By late April, the French navy joined the recently concluded Balikatan war games, participating in gunnery exercises and maritime search and rescue.
Shortly after, the Philippine Navy said it “welcomes all navies willing to partner with us in developing our capabilities and in promoting stability in the West Philippine Sea.”
Expect more military alignments.
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