Journal of International Studies

The unbelievably small amount of aid Beijing is offering Manila marks a new era of sneer diplomacy.

ZAMBOANGA CITY - As the Philippines struggles to respond to the damage wrought by Typhoon Haiyan, the pending arrival of the United States aircraft carrier  George Washington  will be crucial to the survival and rehabilitation of millions of affected Filipinos. The US carrier and its accompanying strike group and more than 20 helicopters promise to expedite delivery of badly needed aid, particularly to remote areas isolated by storm-demolished infrastructure. [1]  The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has earmarked some US$20 million in aid and assistance for survivors, including crucial airdropped deliveries of food, medicine and hygiene kits. The US military is leading search and rescue missions in many areas and will be instrumental in the delivery of United Nations' and other humanitarian organizations' aid. Over 100 US marines are already on the ground and as many as 2,000 are expected.  As of Tuesday, official figure...

Hong Kong has no plans to delay economic sanctions against the Philippines, despite the destruction of Typhoon Haiyan, Filipino media reported on Tuesday, citing Hong Kong media outlets. Last week, Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying  announced plans to  impose economic sanctions against the Philippines unless it met the demands of the victims of the 2010 Rizal Park hostage-taking incident within one month. His call  was answered  by Hong Kong’s Legislative Council who last week passed a non-binding resolution calling for economic sanctions and an end visa-free entry into Hong Kong for Filipinos. Many Filipinos work in Hong Kong. The legislature is now considering passing a bill to implement economic sanctions. According to  Philippine news sources , which cited Hong Kong sources, on Tuesday Hong Kong announced that it does not plan to delay the sanctions on account of the super typhoon that has wrecked parts of the Philippines and left ove...

MANILA - After months of diplomatic confrontation, Philippine President Benigno Aquino is seeking to re-engage China by dialing down bilateral tensions and promoting the language of dialogue and cooperation. Significantly, the move comes in the wake of US President Barack Obama's recent cancellation of a scheduled tour of Asia, including a planned trip to Manila to hammer out a new bilateral security pact.  Downplaying local criticism of China's purported ambivalence towards reaching a multilateral resolution to the ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Aquino has opted to welcome Beijing's agreement in principle to negotiate a binding code of conduct (CoC) through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).  Contradicting his own cabinet members, namely Secretary of Defense Voltaire Gazmin, Aquino has vigorously denied earlier accusations that China has placed concrete blocks at the contested Scarborough Shoal, purportedly as a prelu...

MANILA - Nearly 600 kilometers southwest of the Philippine capital, workers are building an access road to link the mainland of Luzon to Oyster Bay on the island province of Palawan. The pristine island is a major tourist destination, but the project is not aimed at luring foreign travelers, rather to transform the bay into what officials are referring to as a "mini Subic".  Like Subic Bay, north of Manila and once the site of the United States' largest military facility in the Asia-Pacific, Oyster Bay's cove includes a deep natural harbor capable of hosting large vessels, including warships. Unlike Subic, Oyster Bay opens directly on the South China Sea, strategically situated 150 kilometers from hotly contested and potentially hydrocarbon-rich maritime territories in the Spratly Islands.  President Benigno Aquino's government has allocated around 500 million pesos (US$12 million) to Oyster Bay's initial groundwork, with piers, dry docks and ship...

On September 3, Philippine Secretary of Defense Voltaire Gazmin presented aerial photographs taken of Scarborough Shoal to a congressional hearing. These photographs were taken by the Philippines Air Force a few days earlier and showed what appeared to be thirty concrete blocks, two vertical posts and a white bouy in the lagoon. Secretary Gazmin speculated that the concrete blocks “could be a prelude to construction” and were a violation of the 2002 Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. A day later, the Department of National Defense reported that new photographs had identified a total of 75 concrete blocks at Scarborough Shoal. Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto del Rosario announced that the Philippines intended to file a diplomatic protest with China. An official Chinese spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to a question about the concrete blocks by stating, “what the Philippine side said is not true.” China released its own pho...

Both countries see the disputed areas as vital interests, yet have taken divergent approaches in pressing their claims. Why Philippines Stands Up to China Law Not War in the South China Sea Urban Poor’s ‘Everyday Struggle’ in Vietnam The Philippines’ Search for Strategic Partners The Limits to US-Vietnam Ties Among the claimants and littoral states of the South China Sea (SCS), the Philippines and Vietnam have been the most vocal in expressing their alarm and concern over growing  Chinese assertiveness  in this strategic and resource-rich regional commons. Because of their power asymmetry vis-à-vis China, which has the most extensive claims to the SCS, Manila and Hanoi have been supporters of the U.S. pivot to Asia, to balance against Beijing’s growing maritime power projection, while also using diplomatic outreach to cultivate as many supporters as possible. The Philippines has been bolstering its defense and maritime law enforcement with the help of the U.S....

“This is not primarily a military relationship” answered the U.S. ambassador in Manila when asked about the relations between the Philippines and the United States.  Perhaps not, but its military aspects have certainly gained greater prominence in recent years.  Indeed, ahead of President Barack Obama’s originally planned visit to Manila in October 2013, both countries were working on a new security accord, called the Framework Agreement on the Increased Rotational Presence (IRP) of the U.S. military.  Once in effect, it would allow American forces to more regularly rotate through the island country for joint U.S.-Philippine military exercises, focusing on maritime security, maritime domain awareness, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.  The new agreement would also allow the United States to preposition the combat equipment used by its forces at Philippine military bases.  That, in turn, would save the time and fuel needed to fly in such equipme...