Commentary: Philippines Military Base a Prudent Response to Growing Taiwan Tensions
The Philippine military has built a forward operating base in its northernmost territory, anticipating a possible humanitarian crisis in case a conflict erupts in the volatile Taiwan Straits.
Northern Luzon Command chief, Lieutenant General Fernyl Buca, inspected the naval and marine facility on Mahatao island, in Batanes province, only about 150 nautical miles from Taiwan to check its operational readiness to evacuate some 200,000 Filipinos working in the self-rule island.
Senior US generals and security experts from the Washington-based Heritage Foundation have been predicting a high-intensity conflict between the United States and China over Taiwan in the next five years. China is determined to take over what it considered a renegade province to unify the country.
It is the last Chinese territory outside its sphere of influence after annexing Tibet and regaining control over Hong Kong, a former British colony, and Macau, a former Portuguese enclave.
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Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the new military facility in the northern part of the Philippines was part of the evolving security strategy to shift to external defense from addressing internal security threats.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines ( AFP) is now looking at the external environment," Trinidad told journalists in a news briefing at the military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.
"As such, our posturing would need forces that could be sustained longer further towards the external environment. That would mean more support bases, not only focused inland but oriented outwards.”
Trinidad said the military has been strengthening its air and maritime defenses as well project power in its 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone (EEZ) under a new military campaign plan based on its Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept.
Trinidad said the new military base is not directed at any particular country.
"Any actions by to develop our capabilities is in furtherance of our mandate to secure the territory and protect our sovereignty," he said.
"Secondly, this will afford greater leverage in performing our mandate to respond to any crisis, be it man-made or natural.” Trinidad said the military is more concerned with natural and man-made disasters as well as the humanitarian crisis that follows.
Security experts said the forward operating base lies in a strategic choke point in the north, which could be crucial in the defense of both the Philippines and Taiwan should China launch an amphibious assault on the island of 23 million people.
But more work is needed to fully operationalize the base. It needs docks and piers to accommodate larger naval vessels, like amphibious assault vessels, landing platform docks, frigates and destroyers. Fuel, water, and munitions depots are also needed to be an effective operating base.
The Philippines has been developing forward operating bases in the north and in the west to prepare to respond to any contingency. The military is also hardening the defenses north, where Taiwan Strait is a serious and urgent concern and west, where there are conflicting claims in the South China Sea.
These are two flashpoints in the region. Shore-to-ship missile systems, like the Indian-made Brahmos or the US Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System ( NEMESIS) could also be deployed on Mahatao island for protection as well as enhance its anti-access and area denial (A2AD) capability.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of this publication.
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