This photo was taken during an aerial patrol by the AFP Western Command in the West Philippine Sea on Nov. 23, 2022. It shows 12 Chinese fishing vessels around the eastern part of Sabina Shoal. Similar ships were also discovered on the western part of the shoal. Chinese vessels were similarly spotted in the same area on December 5. Maj. Cherryl Tindog, AFP Western Command/Handout/File
MANILA — The Philippines should not be driven by the interests of rival superpowers United States and China, a political analyst said Wednesday.
This comes as the United States and the Philippines are set to hold security talks involving their foreign and defense chiefs in Washington in April, the first such "2-plus-2" talks in about 7 years.
"This is good opportunity for our 2 high officials... to engage at the high leadership of the US, who is our oldest and strongest ally," Dindo Manhit, president of Stratbase ADR Institute, told ANC's "Rundown".
"We have to view it also an opportunity not to look at the US alone.
"We live now in a world that we should not be driven by China-US interest but let's look at our national interest and build from there," he added.
The Philippines will also hold discussions with China this week regarding maritime concerns.
For Manhit, Beijing needs to be reminded about upholding the rules-based international order.
"This rules-based international order actually help China grow economically and maybe now militarily," he said.
Beijing has militarized outposts in disputed areas of the South China Sea despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that invalidated China's sweeping claims in the resource-rich waters.
China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei have overlapping claims in the South China Sea.
Officials have said that Manila and Washington would soon announce the location of 4 additional military bases in the Philippines that American soldiers would be allowed to use.
The longtime treaty allies agreed last month to expand cooperation in "strategic areas" of the country as they sought to counter China's growing assertiveness over Taiwan and its building of bases in the South China Sea.
The 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, known as EDCA, gave US forces access to five bases in the Philippines. It has been expanded to nine, but the locations of the four additional bases have not been revealed as the government consults with local officials.
It has been widely reported that two of the sites will be in the northern province of Cagayan, less than 400 kilometers from self-ruled Taiwan, which China sees as part of its territory.
— With reports from Kyodo News and Agence France-Presse