Backgrounder No. 1255: "Rebuilding the U.S.-Philippine Alliance"
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No. 1255 February 22, 1999 REBUILDING THE U.S.–PHILIPPINE ALLIANCE RICHARD D. FISHER, JR. During the Cold War, the military alliance the Spratly group to the south. It is clear that over between the United States and the Philippines, the next decade China intends to develop facilities embodied in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, was in this area that could assist military operations. instrumental in deterring the spread of Soviet China already has a large airstrip on Woody Island communism in Asia. This once-strong in the Paracels that places current and future com- relationship, however, has been essentially mori- bat aircraft within striking bund since U.S. air and naval forces departed their distance of the Philippines bases in the Philippines in 1992. The lack of and Spratlys. And in the Produced by defense cooperation between old allies has created Spratlys, as seen most The Asian Studies Center a power vacuum that China has been exploiting. recently on Mischief Reef, Since 1995, for example, with little reaction from China is building larger out- Published by the Clinton Administration, China has built and posts that could support The Heritage Foundation expanded structures on Mischief Reef in the helicopters and ships. 214 Massachusetts Ave., N.E. Spratly Island chain, about 150 miles from Philip- China’s air and naval forces Washington, D.C. pine territory but over 800 miles away from the already are superior to those 20002–4999 Chinese mainland. The Clinton Administration of the Philippines, and in (202) 546-4400 http://www.heritage.org needs to tell China clearly that such actions under- the not-too-distant future mine peace in Southeast Asia. It also needs to exer- could challenge U.S. naval cise leadership to ensure that the U.S.–Philippine forces as well. alliance serves both Philippine and U.S. security needs. One way to do this is to prepare to assist This poses a challenge to the Philippine military’s re-equipment program in a critical U.S. interest: main- the context of renewed U.S.–Philippine alliance taining freedom of the seas. cooperation. About 70 percent of Japan’s and South Korea’s petroleum passes through the CHINA’S CREEPING OCCUPATION sea lane between Mischief Reef and the Philip- pines. The loss of access to this sea lane could Since the mid-1970s, China has been seizing damage these economies, which, in turn, would long-disputed territories and resources of the threaten the economic health of Asia and the South China Sea: islands in the Paracel group and United States. No. 1255 February 22, 1999 U.S.-AIDED VACUUM defense relationship. To rebuild military ties, it is critical that each side recognize the other’s China’s recent assertiveness has been encour- needs. The Philippines needs some help in re- aged by a power vacuum for which the United equipping its defenses, while the United States States and the Philippines share responsibility. The needs access to Philippines bases in order to United States has long held to a strictly neutral respond to potential threats in Asia and the stance regarding the conflicting claims to the Persian Gulf. South China Sea. Even in the face of provocative Chinese actions, the United States has not been • Declare that China’s activities in the dis- critical. U.S.–Philippine military cooperation, puted islands represent a threat to regional moreover, has fallen into abeyance since the 1992 security. Although the Clinton Administra- departure of U.S. forces from their Philippine tion need not change the long-standing U.S. bases, and during most of the ensuing years there policy of not recognizing any one of the con- has been insufficient interest in the United States flicting claims to the South China Sea, it can or the Philippines in exploring the question of and should identify China’s actions as a threat rebuilding defense cooperation. to stability and to a peaceful resolution of the disputed claims. The Administration should The Philippine view has evolved significantly, call on China to dismantle its structures on however, following the election last year of Joseph Mischief Reef. Estrada to the Presidency. Although Estrada voted to end the U.S. bases as a Senator, he has cam- • Assemble a military aid package for the paigned recently to convince the Philippine Senate Philippines. The Philippines is in serious need to pass a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that is of help in the task of re-equipping its defense necessary to establish the legal rights of U.S. forces forces. It is in the interest of the United States operating in the Philippines. Especially in the to assist in this process. With a respectable wake of China’s growing presence on Mischief self-defense capability, the Philippines is more Reef, Estrada shows commendable leadership in likely in the future to be an effective U.S. part- taking steps toward rebuilding an old alliance. ner in defending Asian sea lanes. Should the Philippine Senate approve the VFA, the Clin- REBUILDING U.S.–PHILIPPINE DEFENSE ton Administration should quickly assemble a TIES package of surplus U.S. combat aircraft, sur- veillance aircraft, ships, and radar to offer the A key priority for the Clinton Administration Philippines. This aid should not result in any this year should be the rebuilding of defense coop- significant new costs for U.S. taxpayers if it is eration with the Philippines, mindful of previous stipulated that the Philippines will pay for mistakes in the U.S.–Philippine military relation- maintenance and operating costs. ship. Future defense cooperation needs to be grounded in common goals and also has to avoid Following the departure of U.S. forces in 1992, creating new Philippine dependency on U.S. aid. the U.S–Philippine defense relationship grew mor- The U.S. goal should be to offer initial aid in the ibund. Inattention to this relationship has been form of surplus defense equipment to help the costly: A power vacuum has been created that Philippines to build a self-defense capacity it can China is exploiting. The United States and the afford to support. To rebuild defense cooperation Philippines should recall their much longer heri- with the Philippines, the United States should: tage of sacrifice for the defense of freedom and begin to rebuild a sustainable defense relationship • Seek agreement on security goals. When the that can better deter conflict in Southeast Asia. governments in Manila and Washington did not share strategic goals in the past, the result —Richard D. Fisher, Jr., is Director of The Asian was erosion of political support for their Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation. No. 1255 February 22, 1999 REBUILDING THE U.S.–PHILIPPINE ALLIANCE RICHARD D. FISHER, JR. During the Cold War, the military alliance commerce that travels through the Palawan Strait. between the United States and the Philippines, About 70 percent of Japan’s and South Korea’s oil embodied in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, was resources flow through this key sea lane. The instrumental in deterring the spread of Soviet economies of these countries, in turn, support communism in Asia. This once-strong relation- regional commerce that ship, however, has been essentially moribund helps to sustain U.S. Produced by since U.S. air and naval forces departed their bases exports to Asia, which sup- The Asian Studies Center in the Philippines in 1992. The lack of defense port about 4 million jobs in cooperation between old allies has created a power the United States. China vacuum that China has been exploiting. Since has built several large 1995, for example, with little reaction from the structures elsewhere in the Published by Clinton Administration, China has built and disputed Spratly Island The Heritage Foundation expanded structures on Mischief Reef in the chain as well and is com- 214 Massachusetts Ave., N.E. Washington, D.C. Spratly Island chain, about 150 miles from Philip- pleting new structures on 20002–4999 pine territory but over 800 miles away from the Mischief Reef to bolster its (202) 546-4400 Chinese mainland. The Clinton Administration claims to most of the terri- http://www.heritage.org needs to tell China clearly that such actions under- tory of the South China mine peace in Southeast Asia. It also needs to exer- Sea. Most countries of cise leadership to ensure that the U.S.–Philippine Southeast Asia have pro- alliance serves both Philippine and U.S. security tested China’s actions and needs. One way to do this is to prepare to assist have sought a diplomatic the Philippine military’s re-equipment program in settlement to conflicting the context of renewed U.S.–Philippine alliance claims, but they have been cooperation. rebuffed by China. China’s activities on Mischief Reef threaten a key U.S. security interest in Asia: maintaining the free- China’s aggressiveness has been encouraged in dom of the seas. Since November 1998, China’s part by a long-standing U.S. policy of neutrality outposts have grown into large concrete structures toward competing claims in the Spratly group. that will allow the placement of naval, and U.S. inattention toward the Philippines since the possibly air, forces within reach of the sea-borne end of the bases relationship has emboldened No. 1255 February 22, 1999 China further. But after years of its own about 350,000 Japanese.1 Philippine army units indifference toward the United States, the view in fought with U.S., South Korean, and allied forces the Philippines is evolving. President Joseph in the United Nations effort to repel North Korea’s Estrada, who voted to end the U.S.