PH, US officials to discuss sea dispute in Washington

Philippine and American officials are meeting in Washington next week for discussions of bilateral relations and the Philippines’ territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario will fly to Washington this weekend for the Jan. 12 meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry and Pentagon chief Ashton Carter.

“We will discuss enhancing bilateral relations with them, and probably one of the subject matters would be the South China Sea issue,” Gazmin told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo Thursday.

China test flights

The high-level meeting comes after China’s test flights on the runway on Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef on Saturday and Wednesday, which sparked protest from claimant Vietnam.

The Philippines, which also claims the reef in the Spratly archipelago, said it was planning to bring a similar protest.

China is claiming almost the entire South China Sea, including waters near the shores of its smaller neighbors in the region.

Gazmin gave the assurance that the Philippines is improving its territorial defense capabilities amid concerns about China’s constant encroachment in the West Philippine Sea, waters within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.

“We are continuously preparing our defenses to be able to defend our territory, and not directed at any country for that matter,” Gazmin said.

In 2015, the Armed Forces of the Philippines made several big-ticket purchases for its territorial defense, including two FA-50 fighter jets from South Korea.

Edca

Another matter that may be tackled during the meeting is the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca), which would allow the US military greater access to Philippine military bases and to position weapons and equipment on Philippine territory.

Militant groups have questioned the constitutionality of Edca in the Supreme Court, delaying enforcement of the agreement signed by the Philippines and the United States in 2014.

The court has yet to hand down a decision.

“The common area of concern right now is the passage of Edca, that’s what they are anticipating. But it is still premature to talk because we still don’t know what will happen,” Gazmin said.