Tension in the South China Sea: Why the Philippines is Challenging China's Improved Military Might

Abstract

Since 1995, the Philippines has had several disputes with the People s Republic of China (PRC) over territory in the South China Sea (SCS). Between 1995 and 2010, Manila adopted policies with the PRC centered on accommodation and improving diplomatic relations with Beijing. After the election of President Benigno Aquino in 2010, the Philippines became more aggressive in its policies towards the PRC, and it has made more efforts to counter Chinese aggression than to accommodate Beijing. The Aquino administration has made military modernization, especially in regards to its naval capabilities, a top priority. In addition, Manila has also attempted to strengthen its security relationship with the United States significantly. What are the reasons for this change in policy? Through the analysis of Philippine policy decisions between 1995 and 2010, and policy decisions after the election of President Aquino, this thesis attempts to answer the question: Why has Philippine policy towards Beijing s aggression changed since 2010?

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA620520

Entities

People

  • Kristofer L. Yost

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Agreements
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircraft Industry
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Boats
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Governments
  • Law
  • Military Equipment
  • Military Science
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Navy
  • Reconnaissance Aircraft
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Asian Economic Studies
  • Maritime Security/Maritime Homeland Security
  • Strategic Security Studies