Global Courant 2023-05-18 13:40:00
MANILA — Australia plans to provide drones, training and other related technology to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to bolster its border surveillance capabilities as China ramps up its military presence in the disputed South China Sea.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced this on Thursday during a joint media conference with Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo in Manila. Her three-day visit, which ends on Friday, also coincides with the annual joint Manila-Canberra military exercises.
“We want a region that is predictable, that works according to agreed rules, norms and laws, where sovereignty is respected. We want to work with the Philippines to support ASEAN’s vital contribution to peace and security in the region, including through maritime training,” said Ms. Wong.
The Secretary of State visited the PCG headquarters on Wednesday, where Philippine coastguards shared their experience of patrolling the South China Sea.
China claims sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea, which was invalidated by a 2016 international tribunal ruling. Manila is among Southeast Asian countries challenging Beijing’s claim.
Ms Wong said Australia also plans to share information and provide technical assistance to Philippine government officials to help the country tackle illegal fishing in its territorial waters.
Talks are still underway between the two countries to conduct joint patrols in the South China Sea. Manila also has similar talks with its other military allies, the United States and Japan.
Ms Wong said they are still discussing the “best way to move this forward”.
Australia, one of Manila’s only two treaty allies along with the US, has stepped up its defense and security assistance to the Philippines in recent months to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Australia has consistently supported a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal that declared the eastern parts of the South China Sea that fall within Manila’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to belong to the Philippines. Filipinos call this area the West Philippine Sea.
China refuses to recognize this ruling and has instead stepped up its military and island-building activities in the South China Sea. Manila has also filed multiple diplomatic protests against reported Chinese harassment of Philippine vessels and fishermen in the disputed waters.
From May 10 to 12, the PCG installed five additional buoys in the waters off Flat Island, Irving Reef, Loaita Island, Lankiam Cay and Whitsun Reef within the country’s EEZ. Dozens of Chinese military ships continue to swarm through these areas.
“We are committed to continuing Australia’s longstanding presence in the region, including in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. We are open to working with all our partners to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight, and the Philippines has long been an important security partner for us,” said Ms. Wong.
Apart from maritime cooperation, Ms Wong said Australia’s Official Development Assistance to Manila for 2023 to 2024 is A$89.9 million (S$80 million). This supports programs in the areas of economic growth, education, disasters and climate resilience, as well as peace and stability in the southern Philippines.
This is in addition to the A$10.95 million Australia has already pledged to set up an immunization information system, as well as a laboratory network and surveillance system in the Philippines.
