Improving US-Philippines Relations: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing

Strengthening US-Philippines Alliance

• 🤝 The US must reassure the Philippines of its commitment, especially given concerns about potential abandonment amidst Chinese aggression.
• 🗣️ Public statements, like the resolution celebrating the defense treaty anniversary, are crucial for reinforcing US commitment.
• 💬 China engages in political warfare within the Philippines, supporting groups that promote Sino-Philippine friendship, some with direct funding from China.

Concrete Steps for Support

• 🏝️ Visiting the civilian population on T2 Island in the Spratly Archipelago would be a significant show of support.
• 🩺 Conducting medical civic action programs and involving US senators in visits to T2 Island would demonstrate solidarity.
• 🇺🇸 The US should consider supporting allies in defending contested features, potentially by revisiting its neutral stance on sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea.

Addressing Chinese Coercion

• 🇨🇳 China's aggressive, coercive, illegal, and deceptive behaviors in the South China Sea necessitate a strengthened US-Philippines relationship.
• 🚢 The Philippines faces daily reminders of China's claims, with numerous Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia ships present near its shores.
• ⚖️ A shift in US policy regarding sovereignty disputes could enable greater cooperation in countering PRC violations of international law.