A 12 months when Manila diversified safety companions, swept by the momentum of 2024
Expensive readers, the previous is a prologue. At this time, I invite you to look again and, in a means, anticipate what lies forward in our international coverage and safety area.
Final 12 months was a busy one for the international affairs and protection departments. It was a 12 months of placing flesh to the two-D coverage, on the bottom and on the waters: making diversification actual to spice up deterrence. Our diplomats solid strategic partnerships and our protection officers sealed visiting forces agreements with quite a lot of nations, swept by their momentum in 2024.
Be part of me on this video overview of my geopolitical travelogue in 2025. I’ll take you to nations that matter by means of my three-minute video explainers, “Hindi Ito Marites”. The title is a play of phrases, as my title has was Filipino slang that means somebody who likes to commerce gossip. It’s a shortened model of, “Mare, anong newest?”
A few of you will not be conscious of those bimonthly shorts, produced by a crew led by JC Gotinga, our tremendous producer and my trainer on many issues video. You’ll find “Hindi Ito Marites” on our web site and on the Rappler pages on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Fb.
Right here we go:
1. Taiwan, our neighbor, is a sizzling spot. World consideration is on this island-nation that China desires to invade or blockade. President Xi Jinping has tasked the Individuals’s Liberation Military to be ready in 2027 — within the context of the mainland’s core curiosity to reunify with Taiwan.
As J. Michael Cole, Taipei-based creator and former intelligence officer, writes in his new e book, “The Taiwan Tinderbox,” this Pacific island-nation has grow to be a “tinderbox that might ignite a full-scale world battle.”
Final September, we did an episode on Philippine-Taiwan relations and why it’s difficult by the one-China coverage. I described Taiwan in an earlier e-newsletter as a “delicate tooth” whereas JC put it this manner: It’s like an “illicit affair, tiptoeing round a sensitive Beijing.”
Watch it right here.
2. India is our largest strategic accomplice and probably the most highly effective in Asia, primarily based on the scale of its navy. It has already surpassed China when it comes to inhabitants measurement and has overtaken Japan: it’s now the fourth largest financial system on the planet. This large nation is our counterfoil in opposition to China.
Watch our episode aired final October.
A month later, the Indian and Philippine navies held a joint drill within the West Philippine Sea, exhibiting the trajectory of our safety ties.
3. Final 12 months, Canada and the Philippines solid a visiting forces settlement (VFA), much like what we’ve got with New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and the US. This northern American nation is casting its gaze on Southeast Asia because it reduces its dependence on its neighbor and as soon as greatest good friend, America.
In its Indo-Pacific technique, Ottawa regards China as a “disruptive energy” however its sheer measurement and affect make cooperation with Beijing vital. Nevertheless, when China disregards the rule of legislation and undermines its pursuits and people of its companions within the area, Canada guarantees to problem China and abide by its associates in Southeast Asia.
This episode was aired final December. Watch it right here.
4. This 12 months, Manila is scheduled to signal a VFA with France. Sure, our first for the brand new 12 months — and our sixth, to this point. France has some of the trendy navies in Europe and is a resident center energy within the Pacific.
Final July, after President Emmanuel Macron’s go to to Southeast Asia — Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore — we did this episode, taking off from an previous French connection between our nations, when France was looking for different nations to colonize.
Months later, in November, the French and Philippine navies did a joint maritime drill and extra is anticipated this 12 months.
Watch this.
5. New Zealand and the Philippines signed a VFA in April final 12 months. We did this video in January 2025, exhibiting how the ties between our nations had been then blossoming, describing the safety zeitgeist on this southern Pacific nation.
New Zealand was one of many nations that responded to our name for help in standing as much as China.
Right here’s a glimpse into our safety relations with New Zealand.
This 12 months, we count on talks for a VFA with the UK to start out. Final September, UK’s minister of state for protection, Lord Coaker, visited Manila and met Protection Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., expressing curiosity in forging a VFA with the Philippines. If concluded, it will likely be Manila’s second VFA with a European nation.
However the largest safety presence right here in 2026 shall be America, as I wrote earlier. Our geography makes us their inevitable, eternally ally.
Hope you possibly can be part of me once more this 12 months as we proceed our geopolitical travelogue as we observe international coverage and safety points. Let me know what you assume. You may e mail me at marites.vitug@rappler.com.
Until subsequent e-newsletter.
Glad new 12 months!
