AMID their vigorous and extensive presence in government, media, the academe and the localities, the two global superpowers, namely the United States and China, have engaged in a not-so-subtle competition to sway public opinion to their respective sides.
In the Philippines, the contest has become more pronounced because of our territorial claim in parts of the South China Sea, that which we call the West Philippine Sea.
Even ordinary Filipinos who could not distinguish sovereignty over sovereign rights, or exclusive economic zone (EEZ) over territorial boundaries, are participants in the national discourse about our relations with the US and China.
A recent Pulse Asia survey showed that at least 84 percent of Filipinos believe that the Marcos government must beef up security cooperation with the US to defend Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Pulse Asia President Dr. Ronald Holmes released the survey results recently during a forum organized by Stratbase ADR Institute and the US embassy in Manila. Commissioned by Stratbase, the survey was conducted from November 27 to December 1 last year, and polled 1,200 respondents.
‘While President Bongbong Marcos chose to maintain his predecessor’s independent foreign policy, in the actual scheme of things, the United States is still the dominant influence in Philippine society.’
Filipinos also believe that the Marcos administration should work with the following countries, in descending order: Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, South Korea and China.
These survey results are encouraging for both the Philippines and the United States, whose officials continue to nurture the two countries’ long history of friendship and cooperation.
For instance, the Philippines is hosting the four-day 10th US-Philippines Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD) which will run until January 21.
US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink is in in the Philippines, along with delegation co-chair Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Lindsey Ford.
The US State Department said the dialogue “underscores the strength of the US-Philippines alliance, focusing on areas of mutual interest including maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, addressing global challenges, enhancing bilateral and regional economic cooperation, and strengthening our people-to-people ties.”
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), which is co-hosting the event with the Department of National Defense, said the US and the Philippines see the BSD ”as an important opportunity to progress discussions on concrete initiatives to achieve the objectives outlined in the Joint Vision for a 21st century United States-Philippines Partnership adopted by both sides during the 9th BSD.
The BSD, according to the DFA, serves as the main platform for the United States and the Philippines “to affirm the longstanding alliance and friendship, discuss current challenges, and identify new areas for cooperation at the working group and senior officials’ levels.”
The two countries take turns in hosting the BSD. The ninth was held in Washington DC in November 2021.
While President Bongbong Marcos chose to maintain his predecessor’s independent foreign policy, in the actual scheme of things, the United States is still the dominant influence in Philippine society.
