U.S. commits $8 million to modernize Philippine Coast Guard amid tensions in South China Sea

The United States has pledged P450 million (US$8 million) to support the modernization of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), reinforcing the alliance between the two countries amid China’s overarching maritime claims in the South China Sea. 

The pledge was announced during the third Philippines-U.S. Maritime Dialogue held in Manila October 24, where both sides focused on strategies to deepen cooperation in maritime security and law enforcement.

“During the Maritime Dialogue, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement announced P450 million ($8 million) in new funding for the modernization of the PCG,” confirmed the U.S. embassy in a statement.

The embassy added: “This funding will support the PCG’s infrastructure enhancements, training program development, and resource acquisition and management planning.”

The dialogue was led by Philippine Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Marshall Louis Alferez and U.S. Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary Mahlet Mesfin, who discussed strategies to address ongoing maritime issues. 

Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to upholding international law as outlined in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, emphasizing the significance of the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea, which validated Manila’s claims over the West Philippine Sea.

Participants from both countries included representatives from defense, justice, foreign affairs, security, fisheries, environmental, and law enforcement agencies. Among them were Philippine Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for American Affairs Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga, Transportation Assistant Secretary for Maritime Julius Yano, Philippine National Security Council Assistant Director General Francis Jude Lauengco, PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, and US Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary Brandon Yoder.

Established in 2022, the Maritime Dialogue serves as a platform for enhancing maritime policy and operational coordination between the Philippines and the U.S. This recent dialogue covered expanded cooperative efforts, including capacity-building initiatives for the PCG, addressing the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise, and combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

In recent years, the Philippines has been vocal in asserting its sovereignty over parts of the South China Sea, locally known as the West Philippine Sea, leading to a series of confrontations with China, which claims nearly the entire South China Sea under its controversial 10-dash line.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration rejected China’s expansive claims, a ruling that Beijing has ignored. Other nations, including Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan, also claim portions of the contested waters.

There were numerous maritime confrontations between China and Philippines, including an August incident in which a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel, BRP Datu Sanday, was intercepted by eight Chinese maritime vessels.

The BFAR vessel was delivering essential diesel, food, and medical supplies to Filipino fishermen in Hasa-Hasa Shoal and Escoda Shoal when Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy ship 626 and several China Coast Guard vessels attempted to block its path.

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea condemned the aggressive actions near Hasa-Hasa Shoal, about 60 nautical miles from Rizal, Palawan, and Escoda Shoal, approximately 110 nautical miles away—both well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. The task force noted that these actions jeopardized the safety of Filipino crew members and fishermen onboard.

Despite these challenges, the BFAR vessel crew upheld their high morale and successfully completed their mission. The task force for the West Philippine Sea also dismissed claims that Filipino crew members had fallen overboard and were rescued by the China Coast Guard.

The Philippines, as one of Washington’s oldest allies in Asia, has seen its relationship with the U.S. deepen in response to rising tensions with Beijing over maritime claims.

Philippines, South Korea boost maritime ties 

In a separate but related development, the Philippines has also strengthened its strategic alliance with South Korea. From October 6 to 7, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol visited the Philippines, marking the first South Korean state visit to Manila in over a decade. 

During this visit, South Korea and the Philippines elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership, pledging cooperation in defense, maritime security, and infrastructure development.

This partnership included agreements on vessel acquisitions and joint training to support the PCG’s modernization efforts. 

South Korea also expressed interest in constructing coast guard vessels for the Philippines, aimed at enhancing the PCG’s ability to combat piracy, smuggling, and trafficking within its waters. 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed the partnership, emphasizing its significance in addressing challenges in the West Philippine Sea and the Korean Peninsula.

Reflecting on 75 years of diplomatic relations, Marcos underscored the strengthened ties as “further impetus to the strengthening and deepening of our cooperation in an increasingly complex geopolitical and economic environment.” 

As part of the partnership, both countries have signed several agreements, including a loan for a Philippine infrastructure project and a feasibility study on reviving the dormant Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, originally initiated by former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

With tensions continuing to simmer in the South China Sea, the Philippines remains committed to defending its sovereign rights, bolstered by support from longstanding allies like the US and South Korea. 

The ongoing U.S. – Philippine Maritime Dialogue, now in its third session, signals the importance of collaborative action to ensure stability and security in the region.

Photo credit: United States Embassy in the Philippines. Philippines and the U.S. reaffirm their commitment to maritime law and the 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea during the third Maritime Dialogue in Manila on October 24.

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