US won’t abandon the Philippines in fighting China’s assertiveness at sea, Manila’s envoy says

Philippine officials remain confident in U.S. support amid South China Sea tensions, even as Trump and Xi seek closer dialogue, the country’s top envoy to Washington said Tuesday.

Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez addressed growing concerns that renewed U.S.-China diplomatic efforts might sideline Philippine interests in the contested waters, where confrontations between Chinese and Filipino forces have intensified in recent years.

“Some people are saying, ‘Is there going to be a deal where we’re going to be thrown under the bus?'” Romualdez told reporters at a news conference in Manila. “Assurances are being made to us that, that’s absolutely not true.”

The ambassador’s remarks come as the Philippines navigates increasingly complex geopolitical waters. China has claimed virtually the entire South China Sea as its own territory, deploying aggressive tactics against Philippine vessels attempting to navigate waters within Manila’s exclusive economic zone.

In recent confrontations, Chinese maritime forces have used water cannons, flares, and dangerous blocking maneuvers against Filipino ships and aircraft. These incidents have drawn sharp criticism from both Manila and Washington, with the U.S. repeatedly invoking its mutual defense treaty obligations with the Philippines.

The U.S. has explicitly warned Beijing that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under armed attack, a commitment that Romualdez emphasized remains intact despite the potential warming of U.S.-China relations.

“U.S.-Philippine defense engagements are increasing even more now,” Romualdez noted, adding that the U.S. Congress is working on substantial financial appropriations to support Philippine military modernization efforts.

Military cooperation between the longtime allies has visibly strengthened in the past year. In 2023, approximately 9,000 American and 5,000 Filipino military personnel participated in one of their largest joint combat exercises in years. These drills included live-fire exercises where forces successfully countered mock hostile aircraft off a Philippine province facing the South China Sea—activities that China has denounced as provocative.

Romualdez plans to visit the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii this April to discuss upcoming military and defense activities, underscoring the continued strategic importance of the alliance.

While maintaining a firm stance on territorial defense, the ambassador also expressed openness to improving relations with Beijing on non-contentious issues. He suggested the Philippines should “fine-tune” its relationship with China to allow for expanded trade and cooperation in areas such as climate change, manufacturing, and alternative energy.

“There is only one thing that’s permanent in this world, and that’s change,” Romualdez said. “We cannot stay stuck in one place.”

The South China Sea dispute has multiple claimants beyond China and the Philippines, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. However, these nations have generally been less vocal in condemning Chinese assertiveness in the region, making the Philippines and the United States the most prominent critics of Beijing’s expansionist activities.

The territorial tensions have significant implications for global shipping and trade, as the South China Sea hosts vital shipping lanes through which approximately $3 trillion in maritime commerce passes annually. The region also contains valuable fisheries and potential oil and gas reserves.

As President Trump reportedly plans a visit to China in April, with a potential reciprocal visit by President Xi to the United States thereafter, regional observers will be watching closely to see if any shifts in U.S. policy might emerge. However, for now, the Philippines appears reassured that its security partnership with the United States remains on solid ground despite the complex diplomatic maneuvering ahead.