On March 3, 2024, Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel "Babe" del Gallego Romualdez, published a column, titled "Australia: An Important And Critical Ally," in the media outlet Philippine Star. In his column, the Philippine Ambassador stated that the real flashpoint in the region is the West Philippine Sea. "The aggression we face today is very real because China will not let up on its over-expansive claims in our territorial waters. With all the dangerous maneuvers that are happening, one major accident could trigger the U.S. or the Philippines to invoke the [1951] Mutual Defense Treaty,[1] which is why we just have to hope that every morning when President Xi wakes up, he will say, 'today is not the day,'" the Philippine Ambassador wrote.
Four people were injured after two China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels water cannoned a Philippine boat on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said on March 5, 2024. (Source: Gmanetwork.com)
Following are excerpts of the Philippine Ambassador Romualdez's article:[2]
"The Situation That We Are Facing In The South China Sea With The Relentless Aggression Displayed By A Bullying Country"
"Addressing the Australian Parliament was really an important opportunity for the President [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] to let the legislators hear for themselves the situation that we are facing in the South China Sea with the relentless aggression displayed by a bullying country. Just like the United States, Australia is a critical ally that is committed to ensuring that peace and stability continue to reign in the Indo-Pacific region, and its adherence to ASEAN Centrality is seen in the upcoming ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne.
"No doubt there is great uncertainty that hovers over the Indo-Pacific region, with great power rivalries that threaten regional and global economic growth and conflicting maritime claims that escalate the tension.
"In my remarks at the Consular Corps of the Philippines meeting last [March 6, 2024], I pointed to the important role that ASEAN plays in fostering cooperation that would lead to a peaceful and stable situation in the Indo-Pacific that we are all hoping for. Our group of ASEAN ambassadors in Washington is probably one of the most asked for meetings and engagements with many US officials, and the White House also makes it a point to meet with us over lunch at least once a month. While not every country in ASEAN is a claimant to the disputed territorial waters, we know that we all must work together to avoid any kind of conflict.
"I was asked about the reaction of the United States on the possibility of China invading Taiwan, and I told the members of the Consular Corps that 'deterrence' is a word that is being used extensively by members of the intelligence community, with the US doing everything it can to deter China from making that move."
"The Real Flashpoint Is The West Philippine Sea"
"As a matter of fact, this is the perspective of former Australian Prime Minister and now Ambassador to Washington Kevin Rudd, who speaks Mandarin and is the author of 'The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping's China.'
"According to Ambassador Rudd, who is our good friend, 'collective integrated deterrence' is a goal pursued by Australia, Japan, the US and other nations and thus far has been effective in keeping China from taking military action against Taiwan, as this could prove to be too risky. Many of us agree with Ambassador Rudd that Chinese President Xi will not make a move unless he is absolutely sure that he can militarily take over Taiwan.
"Nonetheless, many of us believe the real flashpoint is the West Philippine Sea. The aggression we face today is very real because China will not let up on its over-expansive claims in our territorial waters. With all the dangerous maneuvers that are happening, one major accident could trigger the US or the Philippines to invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty – which is why we just have to hope that every morning when President Xi wakes up, he will say, 'today is not the day.'
"If like-minded nations band together, they can be a formidable force in resisting aggression and constraining one country from its incessant drive to prevail upon another through force. This is what happened during World War II when countries worked together to fight and eventually win against aggressors.
"Ukraine's pushback is also something that everyone can learn from, with the embattled nation showing that it will not back down in defending its sovereignty despite the formidable odds it is facing. This tenacity of spirit is very evident in the Ukrainian Army chief's statement that victory will definitely happen because 'light always conquers darkness!'"
[1] "Signed by Manila and Washington in 1951, the MDT is a defense pact that unites the two allies to help defend each other from aggression. Under Article IV of the treaty, it is stated that the Philippines and the US recognize that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of them would be dangerous to their respective peace and safety. The two countries also declared that they would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with their constitutional processes. Under Article V, it is determined that the treaty covers an armed attack on the metropolitan territory of either of the parties, or on the island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific Ocean, or on their armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific." Gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/899866/explainer-the-ph-us-mutual-defense-treaty/story/, March 8, 2024.
[2] Philstar.com/opinion/2024/03/03/2337635/australia-important-and-critical-ally, March 3, 2024.
