Philippines, Japan close to signing access deal

MANILA, Philippines — The signing of a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between the Philippines and Japan could be a milestone that can convince other countries of the need for a “broad united front” to maintain a rules-based international order in the South China Sea (SCS), Philippine Navy spokesman for West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said yesterday.

“This will be a very historic activity considering that the international community now understands a broad united front has to be put in place in order to check any attempts to disrupt the rules-based international order,” Trinidad said at press briefing.

“This is not just a fight of the Philippines, this is every country’s and it’s international law which should prevail here,” he said.

An RAA is expected to be signed during next week’s 2nd Philippines-Japan Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting (2+2), Trinidad said.

He said the AFP welcomes all statements and expressions of support as well as any capability development assistance that Japan and other countries could offer.

“Whether this is from Japan, our ally, the United States or other countries who would like to support us in terms of capabilities to conduct our mandate in the WPS, these are all welcome,” he said.

Citing media reports, Trinidad said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) would be getting five more ships from Japan.

For the military, he said the AFP leaves it up to the Department of National Defense to arrange any form of assistance from other countries.

He again lashed out at the China Coast Guard for violently disrupting a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal last June 17.

Trinidad maintained that the CCG action “was deliberate, it was planned, it was escalatory, it was the most, shall I say, aggressive action ever conducted by the agents of aggression of the Chinese Communist Party in the WPS.”

“These are the most aggressive actions in the recent history. This is again a microcosm of China’s illegal presence, their actions are all illegal, coercive and deceptive. The reason why we are calling this out is because we are don’t want any unintended consequence,” he stressed.