She said the issue was one of national sovereignty and transparency.
In response, the US Embassy in the Philippines said the shipment was being coordinated with Manila and was “one of several shipments of safe, clean fuel.”
The US-flagged tanker Yosemite Trader, which carried fuel to the Philippines, reportedly canceled plans to unload its cargo in Subic Bay.
Aaron Jed Ravena, a senior lecturer at the Asia Center of the University of the Philippines, said areas where US troops are stationed in the Philippines are likely to be targeted by the People’s Liberation Army.
“China will likely be looking at where U.S. troops and military assets are coming from and can support front-line U.S. forces fighting in the South China Sea,” Ravena said.
“And according to the 1951 MDT: [Mutual Defence Treaty], the Philippines is obligated to assist the United States in the event of an armed attack on the United States anywhere in the Pacific. ”
04:30
Philippines sets up ‘Game Changer’ surveillance base on disputed South China Sea island
Philippines sets up ‘Game Changer’ surveillance base on disputed South China Sea island
Zachary Abuza, a professor at the National Military University in Washington who specializes in Southeast Asia, said the nine Philippine facilities identified under the EDCA have been pre-positioned with jet fuel and other equipment, making the Philippines one of the most He said he was “constantly” a target of the Chinese government. Military conflict between the US and China.
“That’s the risk the Philippines takes in exchange for U.S. security commitments,” he said.
Colin Koh, a senior fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Relations, said the possibility that the People’s Liberation Army would target U.S. military fuel and equipment in the Philippines is “not just a military issue.”
“This is also a political issue. [the Philippines] Want to draw in another potential belligerent as well? ” He said.
Koh said the People’s Liberation Army may use it as a bargaining chip to convey to the Philippines. [or attack] You… you know what to do. If you don’t want to be targeted, you shouldn’t support the US. ”
Are U.S. military bases bringing violence to the Philippines and other countries?
Are U.S. military bases bringing violence to the Philippines and other countries?
Tensions between China and Manila have recently escalated, with Chinese and Philippine coastguards clashing near Second Thomas Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea over Manila’s resupply mission to its troops stationed on the atoll. There was a collision.
The standoff escalated after the Chinese coast guard fired water cannons at Philippine ships in August, and Manila accused China of using water cannons again in December. In other collisions, both sides collided with each other’s ships.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Manila had committed a “serious violation of the political commitments the Philippines has made to China” and urged Marcos to “read more books to properly understand every ins and out of the Taiwan issue.” He said he was instructed to do so.
Since Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took power in 2022, Manila has pushed to strengthen ties with the United States and other like-minded countries.
On Thursday, the Philippine Embassy in London announced that the Philippines and the United Kingdom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on defense cooperation between the two countries.
Bilateral agreements include defense and military education and training, peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and acquisition of weapons and military equipment.
Canada will reportedly send officials to the Philippines this week to discuss signing a similar defense cooperation memorandum.
05:12
Philippines rushes to strengthen weakened military in face of maritime conflict
Philippines rushes to strengthen weakened military in face of maritime conflict
Manila conducted joint exercises with Australia in the South China Sea in August, and in September agreed to upgrade bilateral relations with Canberra to a strategic partnership and host an annual defense ministers’ meeting.
“This follows a series of strengthened bilateral security partnerships that the Philippines is pursuing with like-minded countries and traditional security partners, supporting the modernization of the Philippine Armed Forces and This is being done to gain political and diplomatic support for the situation in the South China Sea,” Ravena said.
Abuza said Manila is restoring stronger ties with the United States and its allies, which were alienated under the previous administration.
“The Philippines has sought to supplement its limited military capabilities by building security partnerships and allowing rotational deployments and overflights,” Abuza said. “The alliance with the United States, which was severely damaged under President Rodrigo Duterte, has deepened even further.”
The South China Sea and Taiwan may be twin powder kegs, but which is more risky?
The South China Sea and Taiwan may be twin powder kegs, but which is more risky?
Abuza said rising tensions in the South China Sea are causing concern for other countries that claim the waterway, such as Vietnam and Malaysia, but that these countries are not willing to do so even if they support defense cooperation between the United States and the Philippines. He added that he hoped to avoid escalating tensions in the region.
“All the advocates want the United States to deploy regularly to the region and engage in freedom of navigation operations, but they tend to do so quietly,” he said. “I think there is a concern in the capital of other claimants that Manila is going too far and securitizing the issue with external partners.”
However, Koh said Manila’s close ties with the US could serve as “free insurance” for other South China Sea claimants, saying they could continue to avoid a US-China confrontation while also protecting their own countries over the disputed waterway. said it could benefit the claim.
“For these countries, they can continue with their current hedging policies because there is an interest there. They don’t need to be too hawkish on their goals and they don’t need to shake up their relationship with China. None,” he said.
“We don’t necessarily have to follow the same path as the Philippines, but we could actually derive benefits from it.”