We Should Not Take Sides

“To be an Enemy of America is Dangerous but to be a Friend is Fatal.” This is another reason why the United States should sign UNCLOS and not act unilaterally to permit deep sea mining in areas beyond International jurisdiction. China now points to the US as a rouge state.

By Bas Umali

No question about it: China and the United States are already in open rivalry.

Unfortunately, the Philippines is being dragged along in this epic struggle between the world’s fastest-growing economy and the world’s largest, together with the might of their respective military forces.

China’s aggressive assertion of its dominion over the West Philippine Sea will only raise tensions, within and beyond the region, challenging other nations to respond.

Although the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) favors the Philippines, the United Nations (UN) has no military force to enforce it.

And because the United States enjoys predominant influence in the international body, China refuses to recognize the decision.

Nonetheless, it should be clear to everyone that the Philippine government should not side with any of these two countries.

There is no direct evidence showing that China would dial down its belligerence if it saw that the Philippines was firmly committed to neutrality by refusing to side with the United States.

Moreover, based on experience, China’s aggression only increased because the Philippines accepted military assistance from the United States. The whole world knows that the United States continues to enjoy a strong influence over its former colony, so it is not far- fetched to think that China’s actions against the Philippines are actually aimed at the United States.

Neutrality does not come with promises or guarantees, but through this decision we, as Filipinos, place our future in our own hands. We do not rest our fate on anyone acting as a “Big Brother,” in the same way that our unsung heroes have rejected benevolent assimilation and manifest destiny more than a hundred years ago.

As of writing, tensions around Taiwan — which is just a few hours away from Manila — continue to rise. The United States has deployed and positioned its military assets near and within the borders of its allies such as Japan and the Philippines. For its part, Russia and North Korea have already expressed support for China. With these developments, the chances of the Philippines being drawn into a war not of their making continue to increase, no thanks to Manila’s alignment with Washington and the former’s permission to use its own territory for the latter’s military activities.

Let us remember that history, both of the Philippines and the world, is replete with evidence of the United States’ atrocities.

We should be reminded of them once more.

The Duterte administration’s shift towards China and the Marcos Jr. administration’s reliance on the United States both demonstrate an inability to stand on our own feet and an avoidance of directly handling a situation, especially when our national interests are at stake.

If war breaks out, Filipinos will suffer the most. We would become a legitimate target of whoever becomes the enemy of the country we choose to side with. Do we have any assurance that the countries we align with would prioritize our welfare if the situation gets worse?

As Filipinos, we should place our fate in our own hands. Let us remain neutral and push for conditions and actions that would enable our country’s neutrality, which could include the following:

Enforcement of the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration under UNCLOS; Prohibition of any foreign warships within waters covered by the Philippines’ Exclusive

Economic Zone (EEZ);
Prohibition of any military exercises within the EEZ;
Prohibition of the use of Philippine airspace for any military activities;

No restrictions on economic activities and trade;

The Philippine Coast Guard as the sole legitimate institution responsible for maintaining security and peace.

The Philippines and its citizens possess strong diplomatic skills and capabilities. Let us tap these strengths to establish the Philippines as a neutral country. Neutrality could also serve as leverage in negotiations with China.

In this regard, we should further strengthen lobbying efforts in the United Nations and ASEAN to help find ways to encourage China to recognize the UNCLOS ruling.

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash