Between the Clawing Eagle and Ascendant Dragon: the Demise of the Philippines' Policy of Hedging

STRATEGIC SNAP S HOT S SNAP S HOT 7 Between the Clawing Eagle and Ascendant Dragon: The Demise of the Philippines’ Policy of Hedging RENATO CR UZ DE CAST R O JANUA R Y 2011 n mid-2010, the Lowy Institute for International Policy HEDGING AMIDST C H ANGE released an alarming but well-argued publication regarding The Philippines’ policy of hedging between the U.S. and Ithe power shift underway in East Asia, Power and Choice: China became pronounced when Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Asian Security Futures. The 103-page monograph warns of assumed power after a military-led mutiny caused the ouster a regional power shift generated by: of a sitting president – Joseph Estrada – in January 2001. Ten months later, she announced an ambitious eight-point • the rise of China as an economic and military power foreign policy pronouncement entitled ‘The Eight Realities in the region and, of Philippine Foreign Policy’, which calls for bold diplomatic • growing U.S. focus in Asia in an effort to counterbalance gambits of balancing the major powers (United States, an emergent and potentially competitive China. Japan, and China) in East Asia against each other to enhance the country’s national security goals.1 This foreign Power and Choice warns small and medium powers in East policy pronouncement reflects the Association of Southeast Asia of the need to ponder their hedging policies in the light Asian Nations (ASEAN) states’ general policy of hedging or of this shift. They should consider more seriously internal balancing between the region’s two most powerful states. As balancing (strengthening their own military capabilities) or a group of small powers with limited military and economic external balancing by strengthening existing alliances and capabilities, the states of Southeast Asia aim to exploit security partnerships – advice that is clearly directed at the both competition and cooperation among the region’s major small and medium powers in Southeast Asia. powers (China, Japan, and the U.S.), thereby maximising their own security and prosperity whilst minimising the likelihood of A Southeast Asian state that is currently hedging in the having to choose between one or the other.2 The adoption of present fluid regional security environment is the Philippines. this policy is based on two assumptions: Since 2001, Manila has been engaged in a complicated and delicate pattern of hedging between Washington (its formal 1. a recognition of the benefits of ‘soft-balancing’ – a treaty ally) and Beijing. Manila has revitalised and strengthened policy aimed at thwarting an emerging power’s its alliance with Washington primarily to counter domestic revisionist policies by indirectly harnessing the insurgencies and international terrorism. Conveniently, it presence and capabilities of the other major powers, also established an entente with Washington’s primary i.e. the U.S. and Japan; and competitor and potential rival in East Asia – Beijing. However, 2. the general desirability of maintaining dynamic trade Power and Choice paints an evolving strategic scenario that and commercial relations with the region’s economic complicates the Philippines’ hedging strategy. Manila might powerhouse – China.3 find itself trapped between two contending great powers engaged in a balance of power competition that will make Two systemic developments provided the Philippines an the hedging strategies of small powers more difficult, costly opportunity to better engage the United States and China in and uncertain. a delicate hedging or balancing game: a) the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States and the country’s participation in the subsequent war on terror; and b) China’s economic is a reactive participant that is simply taking advantage of the emergence, and its efforts to strengthen its economic ties two major powers’ evolving and potentially dangerous great with the ASEAN states thereby making the Chinese economy game in East Asia.6 Thus, its ability to hedge between the two an important market for Philippine exports. great powers is contingent on any possible change or shift in Sino-U.S. relations. In the aftermath of its quasi-constitutional seizure of political power in early 2001, the fledgling Arroyo Administration Contemporary Sino-U.S. relations, however, are in a state sorely needed American military assistance to strengthen the of flux. With its growing economy and increasing political Philippine military’s counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism influence, China is beginning to project its naval power well capabilities. President Arroyo immediately declared her beyond its coastal waters, to oil ports in the Middle East support for Washington’s war on terror by offering American and to the shipping lanes of the Pacific. A 2009 study on forces access to the country’s air-space and allowing U.S. the South China Sea dispute observes that ‘… China has Special Forces to conduct training operations with the reverted to a more assertive posture in consolidating its Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the southern jurisdictional claims, expanding its military reach and seeking island of Basilan, home of the Abu Sayyaf Group. For the to undermine the claims of other states through coercive Arroyo Administration, the urgency of substantially improving diplomacy.’7 Consequently, China’s increasing naval prowess the Philippine military’s counter-terrorism/counter-insurgency and assertiveness over its border areas – from Tibet to the capabilities was the rationale behind heightened political- South China Sea – are slowly eroding the diplomatic capital military ties with the U.S.4 it generated during the early part of the 21st century. Meanwhile, in early 2001, China began expanding The rising friction between Beijing and its neighbouring states its economic ties with the ASEAN countries including over territorial disputes is, in turn, providing Washington with the Philippines. Beijing offered the Philippines and other the opportunity to reassert American power throughout the Southeast Asian states, during the 5th China-ASEAN summit region. Currently, the Obama Administration has placed in November 2001, a free-trade deal that could be established itself in the middle of a long and chronic territorial dispute in the next few years. The following year, the two sides signed between China and the Southeast Asian states over the the Framework Agreement on China-ASEAN Comprehensive South China Sea. This is part of Washington’s overall efforts Economic Cooperation, paving the way for the formation of a to ensure access to the vibrant regional economy and to China-ASEAN free-trade zone by 2010. From 2001 to 2006, balance China’s growing economic and political influence in bilateral trade between the Philippines and China increased East Asia. by 41 per cent.5 Consequently, Philippine-China trade has become the fastest-growing bilateral trade relationship in REVIVAL OF T H E SP R ATLYS IMB R OGLIO Southeast Asia, making China the Philippines’ third-largest Recently, China has become more assertive in its expansive trading partner after the United States and Japan. maritime claim in the South China Sea. In March 2009, Chinese naval and fishing vessels harassed the U.S.S. Impeccable TH E DEMISE OF H EDGING which was openly conducting surveying operations in the Moderate large-power competition favours small powers South China Sea. The following year, China warned the U.S. to as they can set one power against the other, and are able respect its extensive claims in the South China Sea. In March to extract certain economic or political concessions from 2010, Chinese officials conveyed to two visiting U.S. State the major powers without making any serious commitment Department senior officials that China would not tolerate any to either power. Manila’s current knack of playing the two U.S. interference in the South China Sea, which it was now major powers against each other is possible because considered a ‘core interest’, on par with Taiwan and Tibet.8 Washington and Beijing have been engrossed in a This increasing assertiveness is backed by the People’s low-intensity geo-strategic competition in East Asia since Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) growing fleet of Russian-made the early 21st century. The two major powers are engaged diesel-electric Kilo-class submarines and Sovremmeny-class in a bidding competition to strengthen their security and destroyers, along with several types of indigenously built economic ties with the Philippines, while at the same time destroyers, frigates, and nuclear-powered attack submarines. trying to prevent the other power from gaining any long-term In early August 2010, it sent a clear belligerent signal to the strategic foothold in this minor power. Philippine strategic littoral states and the U.S. that China’s claim to sovereignty calculations and hard-nose statecraft are facilitated by, but over the sea and its islands are ‘indisputable’ as it conducted hardly decisive in, this regional power configuration. Manila a sea-land-air live-fire exercise in the South China Sea.9 Between the Clawing Eagle and Ascendant Dragon: 2 The Demise of the Philippines’ Policy of Hedging Strategic Snapshots 3 China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea CONCLUSION has consequently caught the attention of the U.S.-Philippine The Philippines has been playing the diplomatic game of Mutual Defence Board (MDB), the body that provides direct hedging or balancing both the U.S. and China. Its hedging liaison and consultation between Manila and Washington

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