Nakano, Satomi O.

AB Foreign Service- FS302

International Political Economy

Sir Jumel G. Estrañero

March 5, 2018

Relationship of United States, China and Philippines: Strategic plans for own national interests

As time goes by, relationships among countries are changing. Some are developing, some
are declining. We all know that United States and Philippines have strongest and peaceful
relationship for a long time economically and politically, such as military alliance based on the
1947 Military Base agreement, the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and the 1998 Visiting Forces
agreement. Their objective is to strengthen the military force in the Philippines with the help of US
assistance. But when Philippines administration changed, turned into Duterte’s administration,
their relationship stumbled especially because of Duterte’s anti-drug operation in which United
States and other international organizations intervened. President Duterte was not happy by how
former U.S. President Obama treated and underestimated Duterte’s way of fixing the Philippines
resulted in separation from the United States militarily and economically and chose to strengthen
its relationship with China instead. When U.S. President Donald Trump replaced Former President
Obama, US-RP’s relationship began to reconcile again as President Trump has same taste as
President Duterte in terms of developing and handling their own countries. During Marawi’s crisis,
U.S sent military equipment as well as technical assistance, such as intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance to help Philippine Army from retaking the city of Marawi from ISIS-linked militants
and it was a successful operation.

With regard to the relationship between Republic of the Philippines and Peoples Republic
of China, it is a reversed cycle with US-PR’s relationship. Back in Aquino’s administration, RP-PRC’s
relationship was considered as the most toxic one in Asia. However, as Duterte’s administration
took place, Duterte had chosen to extend a hand for economic and political cooperation with
China. Although having an issue over Scarborough Shoal, President Duterte chose to set the issue
aside since he cannot complete with China militarily obviously because Philippines lack at military
forces and equipment compared largely to China which is one of the superpower country in the
world. Accepting the fact that Philippines cannot stop China from their operation in the disputed
area, President Duterte instead strengthens the ties with China especially economically. Duterte
visited China securing investments and credit line pledges amounting to US$ 24 billion and this
made several deals that will improve the economy of the Philippines. However, maybe this is only
a strategy China was already planned to for the Philippines to see and focus on the brighter side of
their relationship while obtaining their interest in the disputed area for their own benefits.

As Philippines two main partners as of now, what about the relationship of these two
countries? China and United States over the years were competing with each other as China was
evolving and increasing economically. They even surpassed Japan as world 2nd largest economy
and this bothered United States that they might be surpassed too by China. Thus, decided to
increase investment in Asia to counter China’s growing power. In the Chinese new leadership
headed by Xi Jingping, both presidents agreed to address climate change and engaged in reduction
of carbon emission. As U.S. President Donald Trump took place, their top agendas are about
bilateral trade and North Korea. They started to deepen understanding and trust building as they
made a ten-part agreement to expand trade of products and services like beef, poultry, and
electronic payments.

Politically and economically speaking, Japan is also one of the countries that have a huge
contribution to the Philippines especially in strategic purposes in boosting its economy as Japan’s
part of apology. Japan is also one of the powerful countries in the world aside from United States
and China. However, China and Japan aren’t good neighbors because of their history even though
we could see a lot of China’s influence in Japan culturally; they couldn’t create a good relationship
with each other because of their historical past but economically, their hatefulness didn’t bother
to their trade.

Philippines has been benefiting to each countries in different ways. President Duterte
strategically balances its ties with different powerful countries to meet the need of the Philippines.
Philippines seek defense support from United States, and economic support from China and even
in Japan. We could see that the strategy of President Duterte is enhancing and boosting the
economy of the Philippines but still Philippines should not depend much to its relations with other
states because there might come a time where all these agreements would turn upside down
living the Philippines damaged by their superior power. Like China having a good relationship to
the Philippines now but silently invading the portion of its territory, we could predict that by the
time those military bases was fully constructed they could operate different activities that will
have benefits on their country because they will not construct such things in an area where they
could get anything especially now that they are overpopulated and having scarcity in their needs
especially foods. China also is strengthening its relations with United States where they
established trading of products such as beef and poultry. United States also moved to focus on
their geopolitical interest more than concerning the problem of other state because U.S. President
Trump trying to regain the greatness of America again. Thus, may refuse to catch the Philippines
when the tension between Philippines and China worsen saying that their intervention might
cause World War III.
 As mentioned above, after 10 years, China might have been fully established its bases on
the disputed area. When that happened, I predict that China would have revealed what’s within
those islands that they were targeted about. Maybe after 10 years, China had surpassed the
United States as the world’s largest economy if U.S. President Trump would fails to boost the
economy of the United States. Philippines might not be able to reclaim those islands that China
has been already constructed their bases but I hope if that happened, China would have an
agreement with the Philippines to share the islands and allow Filipinos to benefits on those islands
to and not as China’s workers. Philippines must not let China to have benefits from its territory
without a share.

I recommend Philippines to stop the corruption now and take advantage to the kindness
of those superpowers giving us in enhancing and boosting the Philippines economically and
politically for the Philippines to have a chance to be a develop country after 10 years if these
increase in its economy will continue and so that it could sustain itself when the worst scenarios
happens in the future.