Maritime Disputes and Manila's Long-Term Goals

A Chinese defense spokesperson said June 29 that U.S.-Philippine defense cooperation "ought not to be directed at any third party, nor damage the interests of any third party" and reiterated Beijing's stance that the United States should stay out of territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The statement is partly a response to a joint U.S.-Philippine naval exercise now under way, intended to demonstrate the interoperability between the two naval forces. A close alliance with Washington means Manila can gain diplomatic leverage in negotiations with Beijing and, over the long run, pursue its 15-year plan to modernize what is now the weakest military in Southeast Asia.