Recently, the United States reassured its Southeast Asian allies that it remains committed to protecting their sovereign rights in the South China (West Philippine) Sea. Let’s see if it actually puts its money where its mouth is this time. For instance, how about the US Navy helping us patrol our exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea and protect our fishermen from harassment by China? Will it? I doubt it. When China started seizing isles and reefs in the South China Sea, the US did not lift a finger and instead merely used its mouth, so to speak. And when China started reclaiming land in the areas that it occupied illegally, all that the US government under ex-President Barack Obama did was to demand an “immediate and lasting halt” to the Chinese move.

Arcilla, R. O. (2020, July 21). Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling was a terrible mistake. The Manila Times, p. A4.