Opinion | How tighter Philippines-US defence ties contradict Rodrigo Duterte’s Beijing-friendly foreign policy
- Richard Heydarian writes that the Philippine military, which still views China as a top security threat, has leveraged the rising tensions in the South China Sea to boost defence relations with America
“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity,” the Chinese ancient military strategist Sun Tzu remarked in his inimitable treatise, The Art of War.
Since Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte came to power, he has overseen a remarkable improvement in the country’s bilateral diplomatic relations with China.
And yet, the Philippine military, which still views China as a top security threat, has leveraged the chaos and rising tensions in the South China Sea as an opportunity to tighten defence ties with the United States.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is yet to sign a single major defence agreement with China.
This year has seen the greatest number of joint military exercises between the US and the Philippines, including unprecedented war games in recent weeks that had China in mind.
Blossoming Philippine-US military relations represent the greatest contradiction in Duterte’s Beijing-friendly foreign policy.