Rogozhina Natalia

The Role of the Philippines in the US Indo-Pacific Strategy

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2023, №2(59), 150-159

 
Annotation: The article analyzes the nature of the relationship between the Philippines and the United States after they concluded a new agreement on granting the US military access to four military facilities in addition to the five already available in accordance with the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). For the United States, this is an opportunity to strengthen its position in the South China Sea and its military foothold in the event of an armed conflict over Taiwan. For the Philippines, the expanded presence of American troops may become a more reliable means of deterring further Chinese incursions into waters claimed by the Philippines. They also count on the support of the United States in the event of an aggravation of relations with China, as well as on the transfer of more advanced military equipment to them for the modernization of the national armed forces. The expansion of defense cooperation with the United States goes hand in hand with the deepening of military ties with other U.S. allies, Japan and Australia, which may result in the creation of a new quadrilateral alliance in which the Philippines will become an important component of the U.S.-led strategy of "integrated deterrence" of China. At the same time, it would be premature to conclude that the Philippines has made a final bet on the United States in promoting national interests. Economic cooperation with China is a clear priority for the leadership of the Philippines. New turns may occur in the country's foreign policy, which is confirmed by the experience of their interaction with superpowers over the past two decades. The Philippines will try to find a compromise, balancing between the United States and China in the interests of its own security, pursuing a policy of hedging. F. Marcos Jr. will seek to maximize the amount of trade, assistance and political support that the Philippines can receive from China and the United States without alienating any power.

Keywords: Philippines, USA, China, defense cooperation, security