TWO senior United States Republican senators have asked US President Joe Biden to provide a complete list of options developed by the Pentagon and the State Department to help support the Philippines in recent standoffs with China over Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. It is a fair question to ask, though arguably not one that can or should be answered publicly, given the strategic value of not telegraphing your punch, especially in matters of national defense.
"We must respond with visible and concrete demonstrations of our support. Anything short of this risks our appearing unwilling to honor our bilateral commitments," read a July 12, 2024, letter to Biden from Sens. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Jim Risch of Idaho, the highest-ranking Republicans on the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, respectively.
"We request your administration provide us with a full list of military, diplomatic and economic options developed by the Departments of State and Defense to support the Philippines and deter further escalation by the PRC (People's Republic of China)," the letter said.
It also said the Biden administration must move quickly to support the Philippines "in countering China's aggressive behavior... Limiting our response to verbal assurances of the applicability of Article IV undermines the credibility and value of these commitments."
Of course, there is a strong element of irony here, coming as it does from the political party whose leader, Donald Trump, has threatened countless times to leave the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if he were reelected as president — a grim possibility that seems increasingly likely these days. He has also said he would encourage Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" if it attacked a NATO country that didn't pay enough for defense.
Closer to home, Trump told Bloomberg this week he believed Taiwan should pay the US for protection from China, calling into question Washington's support for the island's democracy should he win back the White House in November.
Noting China's increased military aggression toward Taiwan, he said he "wouldn't feel too secure if I was [Taiwan]" and questioned why the US was acting as Taiwan's "insurance" when he claimed without evidence that the island had taken "almost 100 percent" of the US semiconductor industry.
Responding to Trump, Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai said Taipei was grateful to the US for its support and that the island was "working hard" to maintain the relationship while increasing its self-defense capabilities and "as a member of the international community."
"Taiwan and the US share a common responsibility for the Indo-Pacific region of the Taiwan Strait, and we are willing to do more to defend ourselves and protect our security," Cho said.
On our part, we need to prepare, too, for the foreign policy implications of a Trump victory in November. Would a second Trump administration signal a significant shift in US policy toward China and, by extension, the Philippines? Some analysts believe the US' relationship with China would grow more hawkish — and unpredictable — under Trump. Under these circumstances, how ironclad are the defense assurances made to us if there is a seismic shift in the White House?
The administration's approach to forging multiple alliances with like-minded states seems to be a sensible way to keep us insulated, at least in the beginning, for a major shift from Washington. Still, the time seems to have come to review our own foreign and security policies to guard against or deal with any sudden shift from our biggest treaty ally.
The vagaries of US and world politics dictate we pursue self-reliance in our defense and security efforts, even as we welcome cooperation with the US and others.
A key component of this self-reliance would be to develop and strengthen the local arms industry.
With this in mind, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading in January House Bill 9713, or the Philippine Self-Reliant Defense Posture Program. The bill aims to support the country's defense force through military and civilian partnership and local production of materiel (military technology), materials and equipment, including arms and ammunition and combat clothing.
Self-reliance, too, should be pursued when it comes to naval and coastal defense requirements and capabilities. In this respect, the country has the potential to be a great shipbuilding and maritime nation.
"The Philippines is a maritime nation. We have the ability and the skillset to maintain, produce and support our own vessels," says the executive of one shipbuilding company. And while there are already some incentives in place to attract investments in this area, the increasingly apparent need for self-reliance suggests we need to do more, and do it more quickly.
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