By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — China’s continuing efforts to advance what it considers its core national interests in the West Philippine Sea are increasingly drawing a coordinated response not only from the Philippines and its treaty allies but also from a growing number of countries concerned about the future of maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.
The latest demonstration came on June 8 when senior officials from the Philippines, Japan, and the United States gathered in Manila for the Second Philippines-Japan-United States Trilateral Maritime Dialogue.
The meeting reaffirmed support for a rules-based international order, freedom of navigation, and adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including recognition of the landmark 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s expansive claims in much of the South China Sea.
While China was not directly named in the joint statement, the significance of the gathering was unmistakable.
For nearly a decade, Beijing has rejected the arbitral ruling and continued to assert control over vast portions of the South China Sea, including areas that fall within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone. Repeated encounters between Philippine and Chinese vessels near disputed features have heightened concerns over regional stability and the possibility of miscalculation.
The trilateral dialogue underscored a growing convergence among democratic maritime nations that view international law—not military power—as the proper basis for resolving disputes.
Japan has emerged as one of Manila’s closest security partners. In recent years, the two countries have expanded defense cooperation, conducted joint maritime activities, and strengthened coordination between their coast guards and armed forces.
The United States, meanwhile, continues to deepen its military presence and cooperation with the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), reflecting Washington’s commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.
But the response to China’s maritime activities is no longer limited to the region’s traditional security players.
Even European nations are increasingly becoming involved.
During the recent state visit of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed Manila’s openness to negotiating a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Germany, a move that could pave the way for expanded military cooperation, joint training, and eventual participation of German forces in future Balikatan exercises and other multinational activities hosted by the Philippines.
The proposed arrangement builds on the growing defense relationship between Manila and Berlin following the signing of a defense cooperation agreement in 2025 covering military exchanges, logistics cooperation, cybersecurity, defense industries, and maritime security.
Germany’s interest reflects a broader shift among European powers that increasingly view developments in the South China Sea as a matter of global concern rather than a purely regional issue.
The prospect of German participation in future military exercises alongside the Philippines, the United States, Japan, Australia, and other partners would represent another step in the internationalization of efforts to uphold freedom of navigation and respect for international law in the region.
For Beijing, the trend presents a significant strategic challenge.
China’s growing maritime assertiveness has not isolated the Philippines. Instead, it has encouraged Manila to forge stronger partnerships with countries that share concerns about coercion, territorial expansion, and threats to the rules-based international order.
What was once viewed primarily as a dispute between China and several Southeast Asian claimants has evolved into a broader geopolitical issue attracting the attention of major powers across Asia, North America, and Europe.
As tensions continue in the West Philippine Sea, the emerging pattern is becoming increasingly clear: the more China presses its maritime claims, the larger the coalition of nations willing to support the Philippines’ pursuit of security, stability, and adherence to international law.
The June 8 trilateral dialogue in Manila, coupled with Germany’s growing defense engagement, highlights a rapidly changing strategic landscape in which the future of the West Philippine Sea is no longer solely a regional concern but a test of whether international rules will prevail over unilateral assertions of power.
ia/xf
