Philippine presidential candidates have adopted tricky stances ahead of China's increasing aggressiveness in the South China Sea region. The candidates have been struggling to maintain balance in manifesto with national sovereignty and intention to improve ties and boost trade with China.
Senator Grace Poe, one of the four major president hopefuls, has promised to invest heavily in the Philippine military citing Singapore as the inspiration. The Filipinos shouldn't get surrendered against Chinese aggression and military superiority cites Ms. Poe while an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
However, all the candidates for the May 9 election intends to increase trade with neighboring China and assistance in improving Philippines' crumbling infrastructure. At the same time, they don't desire to witness Philippine as weak through offering any ground on territorial claims in the South China Sea.
A huge spike in anti-Chinese sentiment among Filipino voters leaves the presidential candidates little room to maneuver, observes Richard Javad Heydarian, a security expert at De La Salle University in Manila. Sino-Philippine relations have hit the bottom during the regime of President Benigno Aquino III. The existing president is scheduled to hand over power to his successor in June. During his rule, Mr. Aquino has tried to develop the Philippine military while limiting dependence on US and regional allies like Japan and Vietnam. He has announced on Wednesday leasing military surveillance aircraft from Japan which Beijing regards with suspicion. In retaliatory efforts, Beijing has warned the Philippines for firm opposition from the Chinese government, if its security and interests in South China Sea get challenged. The warning has been issued by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei following the announcement of surveillance aircraft leasing, according to a report published in the Manila Bulletin. Meanwhile, Chinese chief justice Zhou Qiang has announced on Sunday planning for setting up an international maritime judicial center. The planning aims to protect China's sovereignty and establish rights alongside China Sea. Courts across China have been working to implement the national strategy of building China into a maritime power, reports Reuters quoting the chief justice who has cited a work report on the annual meeting of country's large rubber stamp parliament. However, Philippine has brought the complaints over China's territorial claims to a UN tribunal in The Hague in 2013 while comparing China to Nazi Germany in criticism. The tribunal is expected to deliver its verdict within the next few months.
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