GS Paper - II

Vietnam and the Philippines agreed at the end of August to boost their defense links and deepen collaboration on maritime security. The announcement came as Vietnam’s Defense Minister Phan Van Giang visited Manila for talks with his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro.

More about the ties

• Both ministers inked “letters of intent” to enhance their maritime and disaster response engagements.
• They also agreed to resolve disagreements peacefully and within the framework of international law. An official security agreement is expected to be signed by the end of the year.
• The announcement comes amid high tensions between the Philippines and China over their territorial dispute in the South China Sea.

What’s the South China Sea dispute about?

• Beijing lays claim to almost the entire South China Sea (SCS), through which $3 trillion (€2.7 trillion) worth of trade passes annually.
• The waterway is also believed to be rich in oil and natural gas deposits, as well as fish stocks.
• Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan all dispute Beijing’s territorial claims.
• The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 found China’s sweeping claims had no legal basis.
• Beijing rejected the ruling. China and the Philippines have been engaged an escalating confrontation over disputed shoals in the SCS this year.
• Manila and Beijing have exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming coast guard vessels in the disputed waterway in recent months, including a violent clash in June in which a Filipino sailor lost a finger.
• The incidents have overshadowed efforts by both nations to rebuild trust and better manage confrontations, including setting up new lines of communication to improve their handling of maritime disputes.

Vietnam’s different approach

• Vietnam, for its part, also has a decades-long dispute with China over the South China Sea.
• But exchanges between the two sides over the issue have been low-key since 2011, when Hanoi and Beijing agreed to manage their differences diplomatically to prevent further escalation of the dispute.
• Vietnam is currently in a better position than the Philippines, but this could change quickly.
• Tensions can flare up, as seen during the oil rig crisis in 2014 or the Repsol incident in 2017.
• Hanoi is well aware of this and has been working to strengthen partnerships with countries both inside and outside of ASEAN on the South China Sea issue, all while maintaining a good relationship with Beijing.
• To bolster its presence in the SCS, Vietnam has also ramped up its building of islands in the disputed waterway by dredging and filling in land, as well as fortifying barriers. Beijing has long been building artificial islands in the SCS and turning them into military installations.
• Nevertheless, China has not interfered with Vietnamese activities in the region in the same way it has with the Philippines.