Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro stated on Saturday (May 31) that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) needs to address its “trust and reputation” issues and meet some of the prerequisites set by the Philippines in order to mend the tense defense relationship with the Philippines. However, he believes that achieving a breakthrough in the short term is unlikely.
During the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Teodoro gave an interview to Reuters. He emphasized the increasingly undeniable military threat posed by the CCP.
“The activities of China (CCP) are expanding and becoming more aggressive. Their military displays are becoming more frequent. In the West Philippine Sea, we have become accustomed to their activities, but they have expanded their operational area, including exercises in Australia and New Zealand, as well as exercises in the eastern Pacific,” he said.
He also mentioned the frustration of dealing with CCP military officials, as they seldom deviate from official rhetoric and propaganda, representing an entity that serves the Communist Party leadership.
Teodoro outlined the conditions for potential engagement with Beijing in the defense realm: firstly, Beijing must abandon the nine-dash line claim; secondly, they must demonstrate sincerity; thirdly, they must cease their attempts to reshape the international order in their favor with their “deception”; and fourthly, stop “attempting to subvert all evil activities in our society”.
The CCP claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea through the “nine-dash line”, leading to overlapping claims with the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia, sparking controversy. On July 12, 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that the CCP’s sovereignty claim over the South China Sea based on the nine-dash line has no legal basis. The CCP, however, declared that it does not recognize the ruling.
In recent years, the CCP has increased obstruction of Philippine resupply operations at sea, using water cannons and other tools to attack resupply ships, resulting in injuries to Filipino personnel and vessels.
On May 21, a CCP coast guard vessel in the disputed waters of the South China Sea once again fired water cannons at Philippine vessels and rammed the vessel from the side. The Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources later stated in a press release that at the time, a Philippine research vessel was conducting oceanographic research near the disputed reef, collecting sand from the shoal. The dangerous actions of the CCP coast guard posed a threat to the safety of Filipino crew members.
CCP coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun responded by saying that the Philippine vessel 3002 ignored multiple stern warnings from the Chinese side and dangerously approached the normal law enforcement vessel of the Chinese side, coast guard vessel 21559, leading to the collision, for which the full responsibility lies with the Philippines.
However, drone footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed a CCP coast guard vessel firing water cannons at Philippine vessels and ramming them. Another video shot from a Philippine fishing vessel showed a CCP vessel approaching and colliding with the Philippine vessel, while Filipino crew members frantically communicated with Chinese personnel via radio.