Why would the US defend the Philippines against Chinese influence at sea?

The relationship between USA and Philippines narrowed since President Ferdinand Marcos came to power in June 2022, driven by the actions of Beijing in the region of Asia–Peaceful and in particular in the sea of China Southern.

A key issue of concern is the South China Sea, where incidents between Chinese and Philippine ships are repeated, raising fears of the outbreak of a broader conflict involving the United States and other allies.

This was one of the main topics on the agenda of the tripartite summit between the United States, Japan and the Philippines, Thursday in Washington.

But to what extent have ties between Manila and Washington been strengthened and why would the United States be willing to go to war to defend the Philippines?

Does the US have an obligation to defend the Philippines?

The Philippines focuses many of the United States’ efforts to strengthen alliances in this region because of its proximity to the South China Sea and to Taiwan, the democratically governed island that China considers part of its territory.

The Philippines and the United States have a complex history dating back to Spanish colonization, which ended when Washington purchased this territory to end a war with Madrid.

Since 1951 both countries have been linked by a defense treaty. The father of the current president, the dictator Ferdinand Marcos (1965-1986), was considered by Washington as an ally during the Cold War and died in the United States, after being overthrown.

Senior Biden administration officials have reiterated that any “armed attack” against the Philippine presence in the South China Sea would invoke the defense treaty.

In 2014, a defense cooperation agreement between the two countries gave US troops access to five Philippine bases.

The pact was relegated during the government of former President Rodrigo Duterte (2016-2022), who carried out a favorable policy towards China, but was reactivated and expanded with the arrival of Marcos to power.

Why is the South China Sea important?

The South China Sea covers more than three million square kilometers and is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, giving it enormous commercial and military value.

In its bed, it is estimated that there are enormous deposits of oil and gas, but the different projections about the size of these reserves are variable.

The tensions accumulated around this sea have transformed it into a tinderbox and there is fear that any miscalculation or even an accident could lead to a conflict.

What are the keys to the dispute?

For decades, several countries have held overlapping territorial claims to different areas of the South China Sea, its hundreds of reefs and islands.

China and Taiwan claim almost the entire sea and Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping claims.

The United States has no territorial aspirations over these waters, but routinely conducts patrols in the area.

If a power like China controlled the entire South China Sea “Probably other countries that wanted to pass would have to ask permission”explained Andrea Wong, a non-resident researcher at the New Zealand Institute of Indo-Pacific Affairs.

Beijing argues that it has “historical rights” over this sea, but in 2016 the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague determined that these claims have no legal basis.

China has ignored the judicial decision and of all the countries that claim these waters as part of its territory, it is the one that insists on its claims most vigorously.

What are relations between the US and the Philippines like?

During the Duterte administration, the Philippines turned toward China for economic and trade purposes and also put on hold the international ruling that rejected China’s claims to much of the South China Sea.

In addition, he threatened to annul the defense treaty with Washington, which allows US troops to be stationed in its territory.

But Marcos took a step back and publicly rejected China’s actions and gave the United States greater access to its military bases.

US President Joe Biden reiterated the commitment on Thursday “unwavering” to defend the Philippines, language that many senior officials in his country have used in the past two years.

China criticized the United States, the Philippines and Japan this Friday and defended that their actions in the South China Sea are “legal”.

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