By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Taking notice that under the administration of President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr., the Philippines increased engagement with other nations, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Japan, an American maritime expert said it has brought the country has gained support from the international community in the face of China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea.
Ray Powell, of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University, said being more open on issues in the West Philippine Sea may be a part of the paradigm shift on the issue that Marcos Jr. has hinted at.
While in Tokyo, Japan PBBM said a “paradigm shift” was needed in how the Philippines approaches its maritime dispute with China, noting that diplomatic efforts with Beijing were headed “in a poor direction” and showing “very little progress.”
“It’s time that the countries that feel that they have an involvement in this situation, we have to come up with a paradigm shift,” Marcos said in a December 16 interview with Mainichi Shimbun.
Compared with the previous Duterte administration that was “friendly” to China, Powell also noted that the Philippines has been more open about incidents and confrontations in the West Philippine Sea, saying the country “turned the cameras on this year and showed the world what’s happening.”
“All of a sudden, the rest of the world is seeing this level of maritime aggression from China and recognizing that this has been going on for quite some time and we haven’t been paying attention,” Powell said in his interview with ANC’s “Headstart” on Monday, December 18.
The former US Air Force officer said aside from the support of the international community, the Philippines also gains equipment and assistance on maritime security.
(IA/MNM)
