Philippines Faces Rising Chinese Pressure Amid Strengthening Ties with Australia

The Philippines is confronting escalating Chinese pressure over the South China Sea. National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro noted the Philippines as a victim of Chinese aggression. In response, it is strengthening defense alliances with Australia and other partners, planning to invest $33 billion in new weaponry.

The Philippines is encountering increasing pressure from China to relinquish its sovereign rights in the South China Sea, according to National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro. Following a recent meeting with Australian counterpart Richard Marles in Canberra, Teodoro highlighted growing demands from Beijing for the Philippines to cede its territorial claims.

Bilateral conflicts over disputed territories, including the highly contested Scarborough Shoal, have emerged between China and the Philippines. Teodoro's fifth meeting with Marles since August 2023 mirrors enhanced security cooperation between the two nations, both concerned about China's activities in the South China Sea, a region also claimed by several Southeast Asian countries.

Having formed a strategic partnership in September 2023, the Philippines and Australia launched their inaugural joint sea and air patrols, intensifying defense collaboration. In response to China's sweeping claims over the resource-rich region, which contradict a 2016 international ruling, the Philippines is set to bolster its defense with significant investments in advanced weapon systems.

(With inputs from agencies.)