Japan FM airs concern over rising SCS tension

MANILA, Philippines —  Japan is gravely concerned over rising tensions in the South China Sea and is determined  to further enhance its partnership with the Philippines.

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya voiced his nation’s position yesterday at a press briefing after a bilateral meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, wherein they discussed key issues relating to geopolitics, defense and security and economic cooperation, among others.

“The issue over the South China Sea is a legitimate concern for the international community because it directly links to the regional peace and stability,” Iwaya said.

“Japan firmly opposes any efforts to unilaterally alter the status quo through force or to escalate tensions in the area, and we earnestly call for the reduction of tensions,” he stated.

The Philippines recently protested China’s deployment of its largest coast guard vessel, nicknamed the “monster ship” within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). In its protest, Manila said the deployment was alarming and was clearly intended to intimidate fishermen operating around Panatag Shoal.

Iwaya assured the Philippines of Japan’s continued support in strengthening maritime security and safety capabilities.

“We expressed concern on the South China Sea and the East China Sea. As neighbors, we face similar challenges in our common pursuit of regional peace and stability,” Manalo said at a joint briefing with the Japanese official.

“In our meeting here today, in response to the developments in the South China Sea, we agreed to further strengthen Japan-Philippines partnership,” Iwaya said.

Manalo said the Philippines and Japan are working together to improve resilience and enhance adaptive capacity in the face of the evolving geopolitical landscape in the Indo-Pacific region.

“The Foreign Minister and I reiterated our countries’ firm commitment to the rule of law and rules-based order in the South China Sea and the East China Sea,” Manalo added.

The two officials reiterated the importance of adherence to international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“Japan deeply values the stance of the government of the Philippines for consistently adhering to the Arbitral Tribunal ruling regarding the dispute with China and for pursuing a peaceful resolution to this dilemma,” Iwaya said.

Manalo and Iwaya acknowledged that Philippines-Japan ties have progressively developed to become one of the closest partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region.

“The Philippines’ relationship with Japan is among the most resilient and dynamic partnerships in the region,” Manalo said.

He noted that the relationship between the Philippines and Japan is gaining headway, along with the trilateral cooperation with the US.

Great strides

The two officials cited great strides in defense and security cooperation, especially with the signing of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) and Japan’s second Official Security Assistance (OSA) to the Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“Noting that maritime security is the key to maritime cooperation, we welcomed the maritime cooperation endeavors between our respective coastal guards such as the Subic base project, joint maritime exercises and the transfer of equipment and maritime vessels,” Manalo said.

Iwaya’s two-day official visit ended yesterday. The visit came two days after President Marcos, Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and outgoing US President Joe Biden held a trilateral phone call. Iwaya’s visit was his first official visit after assuming his post in October 2022.

He also met with Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go and Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan on Tuesday.

During a courtesy call on Marcos at Malacañang also yesterday, Iwaya pushed for strengthened cooperation between the two countries, particularly in security and global affairs.

“I would like to ask for Your Excellency’s continued support in strengthening cooperation between Japan and the Philippines on security issues and other global affairs,” Iwaya told the President.

“I think that it is good that we continue these discussions and also I hope that we would be able to have a chance for the Philippines to explain and to show what has been done in terms of agreement since the signing of the tripartite agreement,” Marcos said.

The President also reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to strengthening economic ties with Japan.

“Japan shares core values and principles with the Philippines, particularly at a time when there are divisions and complexities in the international community,” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) quoted Iwaya as saying.

US support

The PCO said US Vice President Kamala Harris, in a phone call to Marcos on Monday, highlighted the importance of sustaining Washington’s support for Manila, a treaty ally, and defending international rules in the face of Beijing’s expansionist moves.

“It is extremely important to me and to the United States that we reaffirm the commitment to the defense of the Philippines, including the South China Sea,” Harris was quoted by the PCO as saying.

Meanwhile, Manalo confirmed yesterday that recent security developments, particularly China’s deployment of its “monster ship” in Philippine waters, are likely to be discussed at the resumption today of the Philippine-China Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) meeting in Xiamen, China.

“We will certainly raise the concerns that we have, including that,” Manalo told reporters on the sidelines of his meeting with Iwaya, when asked if the Philippines would demand the withdrawal of the monster ship, said to be the biggest coast guard vessel in the world.

“We don’t want to prejudge what the events or outcome will be, but what I can say is that they will, of course, be discussing the situation in the region, in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea, including the recent developments,” Manalo said.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for policy Ma. Theresa Lazaro is head of the Philippine delegation set to meet China’s Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong today.

No to reclamation

Whatever is worked out at the BCM, the Philippines will never allow China to do reclamation work on Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc, according to Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesman for WPS concerns.

“This is a non-negotiable position of the government,” Trinidad said over Radyo 630 yesterday.

“We consider this as a core national interest – a red line,” he added, noting that another red line that the Chinese should never cross is the removal of the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal.

“This will compel not only the Navy or the Department of National Defense to take action, but the entire government machinery,” Trinidad said, referring to a scenario wherein the Chinese would cross the so-called red lines.

The Chinese maintain their menacing presence in the West Philippine Sea, particularly in Panatag Shoal where they recently deployed two coast guard ships and a helicopter to harass a Philippine Coast Guard vessel.   - Michael Punongbayan, Alexis Romero