As tensions continue to escalate between China and the Philippines over disputed territory in the South China Sea, Manila has devised a different plan to counter China. Interestingly, it centers around Beijing’s kryptonite: Taiwan.
To strengthen the country’s territorial defense, Philippines Defense Secretary directed the military to increase the number of troops stationed at the northernmost island, specifically the remote Batanes Island. During the recent visit to the naval installations, the agency also called for the development of more infrastructure on the island which will be funded by US. These include ports that can accommodates large vessels and other facilities to be used during crises, including humanitarian and disaster relief.
But here is a catch: the Batanes Islands are located just 200 kilometers or 125 miles from Taiwan, a self-ruled island state that China considers its renegade province and wants to occupy. The announcement made by the Filipino Defense Secretary comes at a time when China and the Philippines have been locking horns in the South China Sea.
China has no business, warning the Philippines about its activities in Batanes, the country’s northernmost island province closest to Taiwan, when Philippine officials order to increase military presence in Batanes as they highlighted its strategic importance for the country.
After several months of confrontation at sea and bombast by Chinese authorities, the Philippines is looking to bolster its military capability and strengthen its territorial defenses.
The decision to boost troops and expand infrastructure at Batanes Islands seems to be a part of that ambitious strategy. The Bashi Channel, which runs between Batanes and Taiwan, is a crucial choke point for ships traveling between the western Pacific and the disputed South China Sea and is likely to be used by China in case of hostilities.
The Philippine Navy opened its naval detachment on Mavulis Island in Batanes in October 2023. This area is also reportedly considered a potential location for the 2024 annual US-Philippines military exercises. In November 2023, the Philippines and the United States started joint patrols on Mavulis island, located 100 kilometers from Taiwan, and ended in the South China Sea.
The United States was also granted access to a tiny island portion of the Philippines in the Cagayan region as part of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Located just 250 miles or 400 kilometers south of Taiwan, Fuga Island could potentially be used to harass the southern flank in case of a Chinese naval attack on Taiwan.
Additionally, it could be used by the United States for launching operations against China as it lies adjacent to two key passages – the Luzon Strait and the Bashi Channel – which provide access to the South China Sea and the Pacific. Reports have indicated that the US may consider building a civilian port on the Batanes islands.
The Batanes region is a cluster of atolls and islets along the strategic Luzon Strait, a maritime passage and a vital conduit for undersea fiber optic cables. Unfortunately, it’s also a crossing point for the Chinese navy when they hold large-scale drills to intimidate Taiwan. In the event of open hostilities between China and Taiwan, there’s no doubt large naval forces will either try to travel or even launch combat operations in and around the Luzon Strait
Although the Marcos administration has not explicitly stated how boosting the defense of Batanes will help its security, its National Security Policy 2023 to 2028, adopted in August 2023, warned that the tensions in the Taiwan Strait could end up affecting the country.
The document said in very unambiguous terms that any military conflict in the Taiwan Strait would inevitably affect the Philippines, given the geographic proximity to Taiwan and the presence of 150,000 Filipinos in Taiwan.
This is also why another regional power, Japan, strengthened defense ties with Taiwan. Japan’s geographical closeness to Taiwan is predicted to drag Japan into a cross-strait conflict, which might also see the participation of the United States.
The Defense Department stresses that Batanes is Philippine territory, and China has no business, warning the Philippines about what it does within its territory.
The long-standing territorial disputes between the two countries have triggered confrontations between their Coast Guard Ships, with fears of a potential Chinese invasion of the Second Thomas Shoal looming large over Manila.
To strengthen the country’s territorial defense, Philippines Defense Secretary directed the military to increase the number of troops stationed at the northernmost island, specifically the remote Batanes Island. During the recent visit to the naval installations, the agency also called for the development of more infrastructure on the island which will be funded by US. These include ports that can accommodates large vessels and other facilities to be used during crises, including humanitarian and disaster relief.
But here is a catch: the Batanes Islands are located just 200 kilometers or 125 miles from Taiwan, a self-ruled island state that China considers its renegade province and wants to occupy. The announcement made by the Filipino Defense Secretary comes at a time when China and the Philippines have been locking horns in the South China Sea.
China has no business, warning the Philippines about its activities in Batanes, the country’s northernmost island province closest to Taiwan, when Philippine officials order to increase military presence in Batanes as they highlighted its strategic importance for the country.
After several months of confrontation at sea and bombast by Chinese authorities, the Philippines is looking to bolster its military capability and strengthen its territorial defenses.
The decision to boost troops and expand infrastructure at Batanes Islands seems to be a part of that ambitious strategy. The Bashi Channel, which runs between Batanes and Taiwan, is a crucial choke point for ships traveling between the western Pacific and the disputed South China Sea and is likely to be used by China in case of hostilities.
The Philippine Navy opened its naval detachment on Mavulis Island in Batanes in October 2023. This area is also reportedly considered a potential location for the 2024 annual US-Philippines military exercises. In November 2023, the Philippines and the United States started joint patrols on Mavulis island, located 100 kilometers from Taiwan, and ended in the South China Sea.
The United States was also granted access to a tiny island portion of the Philippines in the Cagayan region as part of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Located just 250 miles or 400 kilometers south of Taiwan, Fuga Island could potentially be used to harass the southern flank in case of a Chinese naval attack on Taiwan.
Additionally, it could be used by the United States for launching operations against China as it lies adjacent to two key passages – the Luzon Strait and the Bashi Channel – which provide access to the South China Sea and the Pacific. Reports have indicated that the US may consider building a civilian port on the Batanes islands.
The Batanes region is a cluster of atolls and islets along the strategic Luzon Strait, a maritime passage and a vital conduit for undersea fiber optic cables. Unfortunately, it’s also a crossing point for the Chinese navy when they hold large-scale drills to intimidate Taiwan. In the event of open hostilities between China and Taiwan, there’s no doubt large naval forces will either try to travel or even launch combat operations in and around the Luzon Strait
Although the Marcos administration has not explicitly stated how boosting the defense of Batanes will help its security, its National Security Policy 2023 to 2028, adopted in August 2023, warned that the tensions in the Taiwan Strait could end up affecting the country.
The document said in very unambiguous terms that any military conflict in the Taiwan Strait would inevitably affect the Philippines, given the geographic proximity to Taiwan and the presence of 150,000 Filipinos in Taiwan.
This is also why another regional power, Japan, strengthened defense ties with Taiwan. Japan’s geographical closeness to Taiwan is predicted to drag Japan into a cross-strait conflict, which might also see the participation of the United States.
The Defense Department stresses that Batanes is Philippine territory, and China has no business, warning the Philippines about what it does within its territory.
The long-standing territorial disputes between the two countries have triggered confrontations between their Coast Guard Ships, with fears of a potential Chinese invasion of the Second Thomas Shoal looming large over Manila.