Philippines Envoy Highlights West Philippine Sea as Regional Flashpoint Over Taiwan Strait

MAKATI CITY — The Philippines’ ambassador to the United States has identified the West Philippine Sea as the primary flashpoint in the region, surpassing the Taiwan Strait in potential for unpredictability and conflict.

According to Philippines News Agency, speaking at the Consular Corps of the Philippines meeting on Wednesday, the situation in the West Philippine Sea, where China claims territory, poses a greater risk for an accidental escalation. Romualdez stressed the critical nature of the disputes in the area, noting the possibility of a significant incident leading to the invocation of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the US and the Philippines, which could drastically escalate tensions.

The ambassador’s comments were made in the context of discussing potential US responses to the hypothetical scenario of China moving to take over Taiwan. Romualdez also touched upon the upcoming US presidential elections, suggesting that Washington’s policy toward the Indo-Pacific region would likely remain unchanged should Donald Trump be re-elected. The United States has consistently opposed China’s maritime actions that infringe upon Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, affirming its commitment to the MDT and regional stability.

During a press conference at the House of Representatives, Neptali Gonzales II, chairperson of the House Special Committee on the West Philippine Sea, emphasized the Philippine government’s strategy of lodging diplomatic protests against China’s aggressive activities in the disputed waters. This approach aims to assert the Philippines’ sovereignty and inform the international community of its unwavering stance. Gonzales, along with other lawmakers, advocated for a continuous and sustainable presence in the West Philippine Sea to assert the country’s rights, emphasizing diplomacy as the preferable path to de-escalate tensions.