Australia boosts Philippine military ties as South China Sea tensions rise

Australia has agreed to strengthen its security cooperation with the United States, Japan and the Philippines. Analysts say the move is a response to China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.

China’s ambitions in the South China Sea continue to alarm Australia, its Indo-Pacific allies and the United States.

In response, Australia, the United States, and Japan have agreed to step up military drills with the Philippines. Defense officials from the four countries met in Hawaii on Friday, declaring their commitment to protecting freedom of navigation in the region.

Earlier this week, the Philippines accused China of “dangerous maneuvers” and “harassment” after its use of water cannons against two Philippine vessels during a patrol in the South China Sea.

Last month, Australia, the U.S. and Japan held their first joint naval exercises in the region.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles told reporters closer ties would enhance security.

“There is a power and a significance in our four countries acting together. The meetings that we have held represent a very significant message to the region and to the world about four democracies which are committed to the global rules-based order,” he said.

Experts believe increased military cooperation with the Philippines is an attempt to counter China’s increased aggression.

Malcolm Davis is a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, an independent research organization.

He told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that Beijing’s regional ambitions are causing growing concern.

“What you are seeing is concern that China will continue to escalate its aggression against the Philippines to try and coerce them in to backing down and accepting Chinese domination of the entirety of the South China Sea, which China wants as its territorial waters. This is China undertaking hostile actions against a sovereign state in international waters,” he said.

In response, Beijing urged the Philippine government not to “challenge China’s resolve” to defend China’s sovereignty in the region.

China has sweeping claims in the South China Sea, which has rich fishing grounds and is a major international shipping route.

Davis says China’s territorial ambitions could have implications for Australia and the United States.

“It would affect Australia because then China could deny our commercial shipping the right to passage through those waters and, obviously, it would affect U.S. security,” he said.

Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have claims overlapping with each other’s or China’s in the South China Sea.

Beijing has refused to recognize a 2016 international arbitration ruling that rejected its expansive claims in the region.

Beijing has insisted that efforts by the United States to boost its security alliances in the Indo-Pacific region are aimed at containing China and threaten stability./VOA/