Japan-Philippines collusion: perilous move destabilizing Asia-Pacific

Japan and the Philippines have recently deepened their ties and undertaken a series of moves that have raised concerns across the region.

From kicking off the so-called maritime delimitation talks to advancing intelligence sharing, defense equipment transfers and joint military drills, the two countries are exploiting the pretext of "security cooperation" to stoke bloc confrontation and heighten regional security risks.

Such negative moves run counter to the broader regional aspiration for peace, development and cooperation. They have drawn concern from the region and sparked debate within the international community.

The so-called maritime delimitation talks between Japan and the Philippines lack any legal basis and seriously infringe upon China's maritime rights and interests.

During Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.'s visit to Japan, the two sides announced the formal launch of negotiations on the delimitation of their exclusive economic zones and continental shelves. This move marked another dangerous step in closer Japan-Philippines collusion aimed at disrupting regional stability.

The area the two countries announced they will delimit is east of China's Taiwan island. According to China's domestic law and international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), China has exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in this area.

As per UNCLOS, the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf between states with opposite or adjacent coasts shall be effected by the states concerned by agreement on the basis of equity. Any delimitation concerning waters to the east of Taiwan must have China as a party to the talks.

Japan and the Philippines' attempt to bypass China and initiate the so-called maritime delimitation talks constitutes a severe violation of UNCLOS and other international laws and basic norms governing international relations. China has lodged formal diplomatic protests with both countries and firmly opposes what it considers an illegal and invalid process.

In the defense sphere, Japan and the Philippines continue strengthening their increasingly integrated security framework. During Marcos' visit, both sides agreed to begin negotiations on a military intelligence protection agreement, elevated bilateral ties to a "comprehensive strategic partnership," and accelerated efforts to transfer defense equipment.

Particularly troubling was Japan's role during this year's joint United States-Philippines "Balikatan" military exercises. The Japanese Self-Defense Forces not only dispatched combat personnel on a large scale for participation for the first time, but also openly launched two Type-88 shore-based anti-ship missiles from Philippine territory. This marked the first time since the end of World War II that Japan has launched offensive missiles overseas.

Japanese media analysts argue that the governments of Japan and the Philippines are using so-called regional security concerns as justification for building a quasi-alliance and constructing an exclusive regional security framework.

The growing collusion between Japan and the Philippines poses serious threats to regional peace and security.

As a defeated country in World War II, Japan should have drawn profound lessons from history and abided by its pacifist constitution and the principle of exclusively defense-oriented national security.

Regrettably, Japanese right-wing forces have kept breaking through the bounds of the post-war peace order. They have lifted the ban on exports of lethal weapons, built up long-range strike capabilities, expanded military presence via the Philippines, and pushed forward its Indo-Pacific strategy. Under the pretext of "security cooperation", Japan has even sent military forces overseas.

A Japanese scholar noted that Japan's current diplomatic moves still reflect bloc-confrontation thinking, yet such zero-sum mindset is increasingly disconnected from today's realities.

The Philippines, too, bears a painful historical memory of Japanese militarism. During World War II, brutal Japanese colonial rule and massacres caused the deaths of more than one million Filipinos through warfare and famine. The brutal massacres that took place in Manila in 1945 alone claimed the lives of more than 100,000 civilians. Today, despite this history, the current Philippine government has accelerated its alignment with Japan and has even actively accommodated Japan's "neo-militarism" tendencies. This represents a typical form of geopolitical opportunism.

On the one hand, the Philippine side seeks to use Japanese resources to compensate for weaknesses in maritime defense and pursue improper maritime rights and interests through exclusive groupings.

On the other hand, it hopes to secure short-term security dividends by tying itself to outside powers while shifting attention away from domestic governance challenges through the exaggeration of external tensions.

Such short-sighted behavior is pushing the Philippines into an extremely dangerous position. As pointed out by Herman Tiu Laurel, president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, a Manila-based think tank, "The Philippines should not tie itself to Japan's war chariot. This does not help safeguard the Philippines' national security or strategic autonomy. It will continue undermining regional peace and stability and ultimately harm the Philippines itself."

The Asia-Pacific should remain a region defined by peace and development, rather than be a chessboard for those pursuing narrow interests. By insisting on importing bloc confrontation into the region, Japan and the Philippines have increasingly become sources of instability threatening peace in the Asia-Pacific.

Japan should face history squarely, act prudently, and stop moving further down the path of military expansion. The Philippines is likewise advised to follow the broader regional trend toward peace and development and avoid tying itself to the strategic agendas of other countries.

Any actions that provoke confrontation and undermine regional stability will ultimately face united opposition from regional countries and the broader international community.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)