THE President and his men should pause and evaluate their present policy on China and disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea. If the objectives are to assert our ownership claim and to make China back off, then we have clearly failed. Instead of pulling back, China has ramped up its encroachment, even reclaiming waters around reefs and shoals near our mainland. Policy experts and security strategists should ask hard questions. Are we making progress toward attaining our objectives? Does our litigious strategy have any chance given Beijing’s refusal to recognize anything but bilateral negotiations? Do our actions steer the stakeholders in this region to a path toward an arms race and greater instability around vital sea lanes?

If the objective is to raise global awareness of China’s actions, then President Aquino’s team has done that. But that is not a viable aim. Note that even US President Barack Obama has criticized China’s bullying. So, what now? Would it help the Philippines to have more international pressure on China? We doubt it. Now the Philippines is poised again to urge Asean to come out against the Chinese. First, we doubt that China will be moved by public declarations alone. Second, Asean will not unite against China. Not that our regional neighbors are afraid, but other Asean member states will not likely allow our territorial disputes to overshadow their broader political and economic interests in China.

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