By Olawale Abaire, Warrior Editorial Fellow
The United States and the Philippines are bolstering their military alliance in response to China’s escalating aggression in the South China Sea. The Philippines, a longstanding US ally in the Pacific since 1951, is seeking to enhance its defenses against Chinese encroachment in the region.
The annual Balikatan exercise, which took place from April to May, has expanded in scope and size in recent years to include more participants and observers from over a dozen countries. The exercise, which focuses on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, counterterrorism, and complex operations across domains, is perceived as a message of confidence and deterrence to China.
The Philippine military is shifting its focus from counterinsurgency to territorial defense, and the US is supporting this effort through the exercise and other military cooperation. The US views the Philippines as a crucial partner in building a network of land forces that can deter threats to regional stability. Interestingly, the US Army is establishing relationships with individual island nations in the Pacific to assume a stronger regional posture.
While the Balikatan exercise has become more advanced, with the US and Philippine militaries conducting live-fire drills, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and deploying new weapons systems like the Mid-Range Capability missile launcher, the exercise has also improved interoperability between the two militaries, with a focus on information warfare, cyber domain, and low-tech solutions to high-tech problems.
According to a report by Benar news, this move is seen as a strategic response to China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. Colonel Michael Logico, the Philippine Balikatan spokesman, noted that this would be the first time the exercise will be held up to the edge of the country’s territorial waters. Colonel Logico’s statement indicates a clear shift in the Philippines’ military strategy, demonstrating a more proactive approach to countering Chinese aggression.
The US Army is establishing a strategic land power network in the Pacific, which includes building relationships with individual island nations. The Army does not have the same level of setup in the Pacific as it does in Europe, and there is no NATO equivalent in Asia. Therefore, the US aims to strengthen its regional posture through partnerships with nations like the Philippines. The Balikatan exercise is part of this strategy, with the US military presence pushing deeper into the Philippines’ northern islands. The US Army’s 1st Multi-Domain Task Force set up a company command post in Basco, a small island in the northern island chain, to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
The strengthening of the US-Philippines military alliance comes at a time of growing tensions in the South China Sea. China has been increasingly assertive in its territorial claims, and its military activities in the area have raised concerns among its neighbors and the international community.
The Philippines, along with other Southeast Asian nations, has been seeking to balance its relations with China while also maintaining its security ties with the US. The country has been pursuing a policy of “strategic hedging,” seeking to maintain good relations with China while also strengthening its defense capabilities and alliances with other nations.
