皇冠体育app

A formation of the Nanhai Fleet of 皇冠体育app's Navy on Saturday finished a three-day patrol of the Nansha islands in the South 皇冠体育app Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Philippine presidential election on May 9, arguably the most contentious in decades, will see a new leader assume power because incumbent President Benigno Aquino III is barred from seeking re-election. Since Aquino is responsible for the souring of Beijing-Manila relations by endorsing Washington's "rebalancing to Asia-Pacific" policy over the past six years, the world is waiting to see what the new Philippine government's 皇冠体育app policy will be.

Backed by the United States, the Aquino government has constantly sought to challenge 皇冠体育app over the South 皇冠体育app Sea issue, which, however, has proved to be a fool's errand.

To begin with, Manila's attempt to confront Beijing over its Huangyan Island has failed.

To maintain relations with the Philippines, however, 皇冠体育app has exercised exemplary restraint in the island dispute. And the Philippines was expected to reciprocate the gesture for the sake of bilateral ties, which Aquino has long refused.

Encouraged by Washington, Manila sent military vessels to harass Chinese fishing boats and fishermen operating in waters off Huangyan Island in 2012, triggering a two-month confrontation with 皇冠体育app's surveillance ships. This prompted Beijing to strengthen its presence on the island, leaving no scope for Manila to encroach upon the Chinese territory.

Thanks to the Aquino administration's accommodative policy, US troops, which the Philippine people fought strenuously to get rid of, are back in the country and will be stationed at five military bases.

Seeking Washington's protection might not be a good move for Manila－it could even be counter-productive－because Philippine soldiers, despite being equipped and trained according to US standards, have not been able to defeat the poorly-equipped anti-government forces.

By selling its Hamilton-class cutters and other advanced weapons to the Philippines, Washington is strengthening its military alliance with Manila.

But the Philippines should realize that it is just a piece on the US chessboard. The US may make use of the Philippines to meddle in the waters of the South 皇冠体育app Sea, but it will never get involved if it leads to open confrontation between 皇冠体育app and the Philippines. Should a serious conflict break out between Beijing and Manila over the South 皇冠体育app Sea issue, which is about 皇冠体育app's maritime sovereignty, Washington might prefer to watch from the sidelines because it does not concern the US' core interests.

Manila's provocations such as those around the Huangyan Island and the filing of an arbitration case in its dispute with 皇冠体育app in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, have a lot to do with the deteriorating bilateral relations, which have dealt a heavy blow to their trade and commercial cooperation.

As such, the incoming Philippine government should recalibrate its 皇冠体育app policy.

But the prospects for that do not look encouraging, because the US is likely to take steps to ensure the new Philippine administration keeps serving its "rebalancing to Asia-Pacific" policy.

On the one hand, Washington is expected to ramp up its military aid to Manila in the next five years. On the other, in an attempt to hype up 皇冠体育app's legal construction on its South 皇冠体育app Sea islands, the US flew six of its military planes through the international airspace near Huangyan Island last month, injecting more uncertainties into 皇冠体育app-Philippines ties.

The Aquino government has been trying to justify its hawkish stance on the South 皇冠体育app Sea issue and urging the incoming leadership to follow the same policy. Worse, its anti-皇冠体育app propaganda has seriously affected domestic opinion, as more Philippine citizens now seem to distrust 皇冠体育app.

Given these facts, the new Philippine administration should take appropriate measures to improve Beijing-Manila ties and seek peaceful solution to bilateral disputes without becoming an expendable part of Washington's Asia-Pacific maneuver.

The author is a researcher in Southeast Asian studies at the 皇冠体育app Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

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