Manila plays havoc with regional peace

The Chinese military on Sunday urged the Philippines to immediately stop provoking incidents and further escalating tensions in the South China Sea. The call came after the Philippines carried out so-called "joint patrols" with external forces, undermining peace and stability in the region.

Tian Junli, spokesperson for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, said that the theater command had organized a bomber formation to conduct a routine patrol in the South China Sea on Friday, and that troops of the theater command remain on high alert to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security. "Any attempt to infringe on our legitimate rights or provoke trouble is doomed to fail," Tian warned.

China is a staunch defender of peace and stability in the South China Sea, and the PLA's patrols are a legitimate exercise of sovereignty and jurisdiction over its territory in the waters.

Repeated provocations by the Philippines have escalated tensions with China, threatening to undermine regional efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region.

The Ferdinand Marcos Jr government has tried to turn the disputed waters into a theater of the absurd. The hallmark of Manila's showboating has been its extreme adventurism. Embracing a confrontational posture, it has sought to internationalize the South China Sea disputes, jettisoning consensus and marooning established agreements. This has been achieved through a deliberate alignment with the United States that has emboldened Manila's audacious adventurism.

The reliance on US military support, including the deployment of advanced missile systems, as well as the US' increased financial aid, has emboldened the Philippines to adopt a more assertive stance. This has escalated tensions with China and increased the risk of a misstep sparking conflict.

While presenting itself as the defender of the rules-based order and "freedom of navigation", the US has been riding roughshod over both. Manila should be aware that its alignment with Washington has drawn the Philippines deeper into the geopolitical strategy of the US, from which Manila will find it increasingly difficult to extricate it. It should be alert to the risks of taking part in the US' tactical maneuvers in the region.

To serve its ulterior purposes, the Philippines has become adept at playing the victim on the world stage, crafting a narrative that portrays itself as a small nation standing up to the "bullying" of a larger neighbor. This portrayal, however, is a distortion of reality as the Philippines and its foreign backers are always the ones causing trouble.

By peddling this false narrative, Manila seeks to mask its wrongdoings and garner international sympathy and support. But the Philippines is not the victim, it is the provocateur.

The South China Sea is a vital artery for global trade and a region of immense strategic importance. By emphasizing military presence over diplomacy, and provocations over dialogue, the Philippines is recklessly sabotaging stability.

In doing so, Manila is blinding itself to the opportunities for economic collaboration and regional integration that would benefit the Philippines in the long run. There is a growing call among stakeholders in the region for Manila to engage with the other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to establish a more stable and predictable regional environment.

The Philippines will assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2026. At the closing ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit, Marcos pledged to uphold the theme of "Navigating Our Future, Together" and lead ASEAN toward a more inclusive and sustainable future, and to work toward reaching a "Code of Conduct in the South China Sea" next year. However, given the Philippines' actions since he took office, whether the Philippines will match those words with deeds remains to be seen.

The immediate challenge for Manila lies in not letting its subservience to Washington prevent it from playing a constructive role in the evolving dynamics of the Asia-Pacific region.