Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s conversation in the United Nations General Set up (UNGA) on Wednesday was an opportunity to format his country’s foreign-policy roadmap and emphasize how his government perceives the geopolitical shifts taking place in the Philippines’ immediate plus extended geographical community.
Probably the most important themes talked about by Marcos at the UNGA was his evaluation of the established order and how the Philippines perceives this in the context of the brewing power competition between the United States plus China.
Marcos emphasized that the Philippines seeks to preserve and work within the US-led rules-based international purchase. As a country that will adheres to democratic principles, norms plus institutions, the Philippines considers the stability of the existing order a necessity to serve and complement the short-term and long-term interests.
Given the particular asymmetry of materials power in the East and Southeast Asian regions, in addition to the exacerbating security conditions in the South China Ocean between China as well as smaller Southeast Asian neighbors, the function of international law is a crucial instrument that Manila may leverage to secure its claims and maintain the best position against the constant militarization of disputed territories and the growing assertiveness of China.
It really is in this context that this emphasis of the 1982 United Nations Convention over the Law of the Sea, among other aspects of international law, thought at the beginning of Marcos’ address.
Given its desire to preserve the particular rules-based order, it really is inevitable for Manila to stand strongly by its obligations under the treaty connections with Washington; furthermore, against this backdrop, the US will be expected to continue gaining prominence in Philippine foreign plan.
Therefore the planned meeting between US Leader Joe Biden and Marcos on the sidelines of the UNGA signifies that stronger Philippines-US relations will remain main to Manila’s development and security plan.
However , it is important to note that the Philippine president included important variables in the evaluation toward the current order. That is, it must not only become free and open up, but also inclusive and fair.
This comes against the backdrop from the ongoing US-China power competition, particularly in the Western Pacific. Strategically located at the juncture associated with great-power politics, the Philippines continues to encounter myriad traditional protection challenges driven by the shifting distribution of power in the region.
With its traditional number one ally on one side and its particular most powerful immediate neighbor on the other, Manila has often wandered the tightrope involving the two giants. Marcos’ speech highlighted their wariness toward energy competitions and how this kind of engagements between great powers often arrive at the detriment of the developing world.
While rejecting revisionist interests towards the status quo order, this individual also pointed towards the need for major power to avoid provoking safety conditions in important regions, such as Asia. Therefore , inclusive multilateralism based on democratic organizations and practices ought to be preferred over the promotion of exclusive plus rigid blocks, that will compel less powerful countries to choose edges and plunge themselves deeper in strength competitions.
Marcos’ speech showcased his firm resolve to safeguard and preserve the rules-based order. While there was an indication toward the importance of the particular alliance with the ALL OF US as a cornerstone in Philippine foreign policy, he emphasized his disdain toward firm power competitions where less powerful declares are made to pick an aspect at the expense of the long-term development plus security.
It is in this lighting that he echoed the particular view of a Philippines that is a friend for all, and an foe of none. Recognizing the threat of Chinese assertion, Manila will not want to aggravate the security conditions in the immediate neighborhood by means of provocations.
Rather, whilst endeavoring to improve its national defense capacity through military modernization and the diversification of strategic partners, the Philippines under President Marcos Jr will seek to establish proactive channels of communication with Beijing to mitigate short-term conflict in order to provide a favorable environment for negotiations for long-term stability and development.