Is an efficient relationship with each China and the U.S. potential? Philippine ambassador to Washington has some solutions

The waters across the Philippines are abuzz with ships from two of the world’s best tremendous powers vying for world dominance.

The Southeast Asian archipelago nation is indispensable to Washington’s Indo-Pacific technique, which incorporates deterring China’s rising navy energy and affect within the area. Not solely does the Philippines have a decades-long treaty with the US, it has extra lately allowed U.S. troops to maneuver and retailer weapons, provides and intelligence at a few of its bases in change for upgrades to those websites.

In the meantime, the Philippines additionally maintains an excellent relationship with China, Manila’s geographical neighbor and its largest buying and selling associate. This relationship endures regardless of the continuing territorial dispute between the 2 nations within the South China Sea, over which China makes broad and historic claims.

So how does the Philippines stroll the nice line of being each the linchpin of Washington’s Indo-Pacific technique and China’s neighbor?

“Peace through deterrence,” Philippines Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez, lately informed NPR’s Leila Fadel. The method, he says, focuses on enhancing the safety relationship between the Philippines and the U.S.. The Balikatan battle video games — an annual navy train carried out between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. navy — are an integral a part of this technique. Nations akin to Australia, Japan and the UK now additionally take part within the drills.

This interview has been edited for size and readability. 

Leila Fadel: Might you develop on the peace by way of deterrence method?

Jose Manuel Romualdez: We need to deter any potential battle which will come up. So if we strengthen {our relationships} not solely with the US, however different nations as effectively, and we proceed to do what we’re doing, we’re hoping that it’ll give us peace as a result of it would clearly deter any nation from pondering of going into any sort of battle.

Fadel: There are rising tensions within the South China Sea. There have been quite a few confrontations involving vessels during the last couple of years between the Philippines and China, and the stress between the U.S. and China can be rising economically. What place does that put the Philippines in? You’ve got these issues round protection and safety, however China is the geographical neighbor of the Philippines — its largest buying and selling associate. How do you navigate this relationship with Beijing whereas persevering with to play a big position within the U.S. Indo-Pacific technique?

Romualdez: I feel it is quite simple. We have had a mutual protection treaty with the US since 1951, and because it has been mentioned on many events, it is an ironclad dedication coming not solely from the US, however a dedication coming from us. On the finish of the day, it’s what we name a state of affairs the place we would like all nations to respect its territorial integrity. And whereas we respect China’s territorial integrity as effectively, and no matter claims which might be reliable, we count on them to do the identical with us. We’re additionally reaching out to them on many different points that we will work with, like local weather change and financial cooperation. Clearly, it is high of the checklist for us. We wish to have good relations with China.

Fadel: President Trump and his cupboard have made it clear that they need to prioritize America first, and that is very talked-about together with his electoral base. Do you are worried that the Philippines could be deserted if there’s a Taiwan contingency — a battle between China and Taiwan?

Romualdez: Properly, it’s within the curiosity of the US that we stay shut allies. We’re simply going to take a look at it from the sensible viewpoint, and I feel it is all a matter of what’s in one of the best pursuits of the US. I would prefer to suppose that we play a task in that curiosity, and it is usually in our curiosity that the US stays engaged within the Pacific area, particularly the South China Sea. It is an space the place trillions of {dollars} of cargo go by way of, and that space must be protected. It must be free and clear. So, it’s within the curiosity of the US that it stays that means.

Fadel: If there’s a Taiwan contingency, would the Philippines become involved?

Romualdez: I can not say sure or no, as a result of that is an operational query that must be answered by each our protection and the sort of treaty that we now have with the US. It relies upon actually on what position the Philippines can play so far as that is involved. We definitely had been hoping that having the connection that we now have with the US, and that we now have communicated on many events, that our financial prosperity equals financial safety for us. And with that, we imply that we want, clearly, to have the financial assets to have the ability to modernize our armed forces the place we shall be shopping for American {hardware}. So, these are the issues that we’re engaged on to have the ability to have a mutually economically viable state of affairs between our two nations.

Fadel: Earlier this month, a delegation got here from Manila to Washington to speak about commerce and tariffs. You helped lead these conferences. Each side agreed on a extra “balanced, fair trade.” In keeping with the U.S. Division of Commerce, the U.S. and Philippines have a commerce deficit of practically $5 billion. What ensures did you come out of these conferences with?

Romualdez: That determine is $5 billion, however with the acquisition of the F-16s, that determine is totally worn out and the stability tilts immediately. That is what I imply by what’s necessary. It is a stability. The balancing is the truth that we have to have persevering with financial progress for the nation to have the ability to be an actual associate to the US.

Fadel: I need to flip for the final a part of our interview to former President Rodrigo Duterte, who stays in The Hague as he awaits trial for alleged crimes towards humanity, costs stemming from extrajudicial killings in his battle on medication whereas in workplace. Is that this justice?

Romualdez: I feel that that must be left to the worldwide courtroom, of which he would in all probability stand trial. I used to be appointed by President Duterte to be right here in 2017. At the moment, I feel the nation was going by way of a tough interval in our historical past when it comes to the drug state of affairs. President Duterte made it his mantra to battle his battle on medication, and the folks of the Philippines are very happy with that as a result of folks felt safer when he was cleansing up the streets.

Fadel: Do you suppose he deserves this?

Romualdez: I could not say whether or not he deserves it or not. What’s necessary is what the Filipino folks say. Ultimately, I feel we now have a state of affairs much like right here in the US, the place the folks spoke once they re-elected Donald Trump after so many costs have been made towards him.

The printed model of this story was edited by Ashley Westerman and produced by Adam Bearne and Carla Esteves. The digital model was edited by Olivia Hampton.