US, Japan’s emboldening of Philippines amid SCS tensions ‘destructive to regional peace’
美国和日本在南海紧张局势中鼓励对菲律宾“对地区和平具有破坏性”。
Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT
插图：刘湘雅/GT
Following the latest round of encounters between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, the US, Japan and the Philippines held a joint exercise within Manila's exclusive economic zone on Friday, a move playing a destructive role for managing differences and undermining regional peace and stability.
在中国与菲律宾在南海发生最新一轮对峙之后，美国、日本和菲律宾于周五在马尼拉专属经济区举行联合军演，此举对管控分歧起到了破坏性作用，并损害了地区和平与稳定。
According to a statement released by the US Indo-Pacific Command (PACOM), participating units included a US Navy P-8A Poseidon from Patrol Squadron 47; the Philippine Navy BRP Andres Bonifacio and a C-90; and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Murasame-class destroyer JS Samidare (DD 106).
根据美国印度洋-太平洋司令部（PACOM）发布的一份声明，参演单位包括美国海军第47巡逻中队的一架P-8A“波塞冬”海上巡逻机；菲律宾海军的BRP“安德列斯·波尼法西奥”号护卫舰和一架C-90飞机；以及日本海上自卫队的“村雨”级驱逐舰“萨姆达雷”号（DD 106）。
It said that "the combined armed and defense forces of Japan, the Philippines, and the US, demonstrating a collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, conducted a Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone."
声明称，“日本、菲律宾和美国三国武装和国防力量的联合行动，体现了对加强区域和国际合作以支持自由开放的印太地区的共同承诺，三国在菲律宾专属经济区内进行了多边海上合作活动。”
On Wednesday, China implemented control measures against Philippine ships that attempted to intrude into the territorial waters of China's Huangyan Dao. On Monday, the China Coast Guard (CCG) stated that it had taken necessary management and control measures against Philippine vessels that recently illegally gathered in the waters of China's Houteng Jiao.
周三，中国对试图闯入中国黄岩岛领海的菲律宾船只实施了管控措施。周一，中国海警局（CCG）表示，已对近期非法聚集在中国后藤礁水域的菲律宾船只采取了必要的管理和控制措施。
Teresita Daza, spokesperson for the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), said on Thursday that the DFA has formally lodged a protest with China over the latest incident around Huangyan Dao. The latest diplomatic complaint brings the number of protests Manila has filed against Beijing this year to 60, with the total coming to 193 since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022, she said, per the Philippines News Agency.
据菲律宾通讯社报道，菲律宾外交部（DFA）发言人特蕾西塔·达萨周四表示，菲律宾外交部已就黄岩岛附近发生的最新事件正式向中国提出抗议。她表示，这一最新的外交投诉使马尼拉今年向北京提出的抗议次数达到60次，自菲律宾总统费迪南德·马科斯二世2022年上任以来，抗议总数已达193次。
Chinese military expert Song Zhongping said PACOM's use of the term "Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity," rather than "patrol" or "drill," suggests that this event is seen more as a routine operation, suggesting enhanced military deployments and a greater regular military presence in the Philippines.
中国军事专家宋忠平说，菲律宾海军司令部使用 “多边海上合作活动 ”一词，而不是 “巡逻 ”或 “演习”，这表明这次活动更多地被视为例行行动，表明菲律宾加强了军事部署，增加了常规军事存在。
In order to increase its strength to provoke China, the Philippines is trying to attract various kinds of support from its allies outside the region, whether it is verbal, formal or substantive, and is even willing to yield its strategic independence and sovereign interests, Song said.
宋说，为了增强挑衅中国的实力，菲律宾正试图从地区外的盟友那里获得各种形式的支持，无论是口头上的、形式上的还是实质性的，甚至不惜牺牲其战略独立和主权利益。
The Philippines is trying to stoke the South China Sea issue by constantly creating trouble so as to accumulate new discourse materials for the cognitive war of building the "China threat" rhetoric, Ding Duo, a deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times.
中国南海研究院海洋法律与政策研究所副所长丁铎对《环球时报》说，菲律宾试图通过不断制造事端来挑起南海问题，从而为制造 “中国威胁论 ”言论的认知战积累新的话语材料。
The intervention of external forces may encourage the Philippines in the short term, but from the perspective of crisis management of maritime disputes, it has a destructive and negative catalytic effect on the maritime situation, Ding said.
外部势力的介入可能在短期内会鼓励菲律宾，但从海上争端危机管理的角度来看，它对海上局势具有破坏性和消极的催化作用。丁说。
China's thinking and position in dealing with the South China Sea issue maintains continuity and stability, and flame-fanning from the US and Japan will not affect China's strategic focus, but will cause the Philippines to pay a price, Song said.
宋表示，中国在处理南海问题上的思路和立场保持连续性和稳定性，美国和日本的煽风点火不会影响中国的战略重心，但会让菲律宾付出代价。
Manila's anxiety
马尼拉的焦虑
One day before the joint drill, the Philippines and Japan on Thursday signed a 1.6-billion-yen ($10.65 million) security assistance deal to boost Manila's maritime security and surveillance abilities, Reuters reported.
据路透社报道，在联合演习的前一天，菲律宾和日本周四签署了一项价值 16 亿日元（约合 1065 万美元）的安全援助协议，以增强马尼拉的海上安全和监视能力。
Japan will provide the Philippine Navy with equipment such as rigid-hulled inflatable boats and coastal radar systems under its Overseas Security Assistance (OSA) programme, while The Philippine Air Force will receive equipment to support its air surveillance radar system from Tokyo, Reuters said.
路透社称，日本将根据其海外安全援助（OSA）计划向菲律宾海军提供硬壳充气艇和海岸雷达系统等设备，而菲律宾空军将从东京获得支持其空中监视雷达系统的设备。
The DFA said the assistance from Japan will improve the country's "capabilities to deter threats to peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region," per the Phil Star.
据《菲尔星报》报道，外交部表示，日本的援助将提高中国 “遏制印度洋-太平洋地区和平、稳定与安全威胁的能力”。
Behind the recent provocations against China and the strengthening of cooperation with Japan is the Marcos administration's aim of distracting attention from domestic contradictions and seeking political self-interest. But more importantly, it also reflects Manila's concern and anxiety over future Philippine-US relations, according to Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies.
据国家南海研究院世界海军研究中心主任陈相秒表示，菲律宾近期对中国的挑衅以及与日本加强合作背后，是马科斯政府旨在转移国内矛盾焦点、寻求政治私利的意图。但更重要的是，这也反映了马尼拉对未来菲美关系的担忧和焦虑。
The expert said that under the concept of "America First" of the incoming US administration, Manila may have to exert more effort and even leverage in order to maintain the US-Philippines relationship, he noted.
专家表示，即将上任的美国政府的“美国优先”理念下，马尼拉可能不得不付出更多努力，甚至发挥杠杆作用，来维护美菲关系。
"So in the last phase of the Biden administration, Manila wants to create some fait accompli in terms of policy framework that would be difficult to change after Donald Trump takes office," said Chen, "Manila may be trying to remind or even kidnap Washington by stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, hoping that the incoming US administration will give it more substantive support."
“因此，在拜登政府的最后阶段，马尼拉希望在政策框架方面制造一些既成事实，这样在特朗普上台后就难以改变，”陈（这里假设是陈相秒或某位专家的名字）说，“马尼拉可能试图通过在南海挑起事端来提醒甚至‘绑架’华盛顿，希望新一届美国政府能给予其更多实质性的支持。”
Chen said that in contrast to the uncertainty from the US, Japan, which is becoming increasingly involved in the South China Sea issue, represents a certainty that Manila can rely upon, as weapons and equipment provided by Tokyo can, to some extent, play a substitute role for the US.
陈表示，与美国的不确定性相反，日本越来越多地参与南海问题，这代表着马尼拉可以依靠的确定性，因为东京提供的武器和装备在一定程度上可以替代美国。
Japan had provided coastal surveillance radars to the Philippine Navy in fiscal 2023 as well, according to Jiji press. In May 2024, Japan agreed to provide the Philippines with a 64.3 billion yen low-interest loan for the acquisition of five additional Japanese patrol vessels, according to Kyodo News, which also noted that Japan has already provided 12 patrol ships, called "multi-role response vessels" to the Philippine Coast Guard since 2016.
据日本时事通信社报道，日本已在2023财年向菲律宾海军提供了海岸监视雷达。据共同社报道，2024年5月，日本同意向菲律宾提供一笔643亿日元（约合人民币32亿元）的低息贷款，用于购买另外五艘日本巡逻船。共同社还指出，自2016年以来，日本已向菲律宾海岸警卫队提供了12艘被称为“多任务响应舰”的巡逻船。
In July this year, the Philippines and Japan signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement, which permits the deployment of their forces on each other's soil for joint combat training and drills.
今年7月，菲律宾和日本签署了《互惠准入协定》，允许两国在对方领土上部署部队进行联合作战训练和演习。
Japan is likely to move from a supporting role in military aid and cooperation with the Philippines to a leading role, helping to elevate Manila's defense and coast guard capabilities, and giving it more infiltration of interests in the Philippines, just as the US did in the past, Chen said.
陈表示，日本可能会从军事援助和与菲律宾合作的支持角色转变为主导角色，帮助提升马尼拉的国防和海岸警卫队能力，并让它更多地渗透菲律宾的利益，就像美国过去所做的那样。
It cannot be ruled out that Japan may even establish a maritime Self-Defense Force base in the Philippines in the future, Chen added.
陈补充道，不能排除日本未来甚至可能在菲律宾建立海上自卫队基地的可能性。
Ding said that Japan's active interference in the South China Sea is aimed at giving itself more leverage and easing its pressure in the Diaoyu Islands disputes, while gradually realizing the goal of becoming a "normal country" capable of possessing military power and becoming militarized through military equipment aid to the Philippines.
丁说，日本积极干涉南海是为了在钓鱼岛争端中给自己更多的筹码，减轻压力，同时通过向菲律宾提供军事装备援助，逐步实现成为拥有军事力量和军事化的“正常国家”的目标。
Japan's move is a cause for alarm, as it had a very shameful history in Southeast Asia during the Second World War, said Ding.
丁说，日本的举动令人警觉，因为日本在二战期间在东南亚有着极其可耻的历史。
