Clear policies needed to expose China's illegal actions in West Philippine Sea
The government should create clear policies linked to its efforts to expose China’s illegal actions in the West Philippine Sea to make it more efficient, experts said Tuesday.
During a Stratbase ADR Institute forum, maritime experts said this has been shown to be effective against China’s misinformation campaign in the West Philippine Sea.
Raymond Powell, Sealight Director at Stanford University's Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, said written policies related to the transparency initiative will help define the scope and limits of the role of the press in documenting and reporting China’s unlawful acts in the country’s waters.
“It will be important to write down what the policy is. And the reason is because the policy is certainly going to come under great pressure from outside influence,” Powell said.
“There’s a routine. Putting those things down and writing, deciding what the policy is, how should the journalists interact with the government, know when or when they cannot go on a mission,” he said.
“Maximum transparency brings maximum accountability… if you turn on the lights in the gray zone, all of sudden the cockroaches scatter,” Powell said.
Benjamin Goirigolzarri, team member of Project Myoushu, Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation said: “Committing to the use of free press offered a really compelling narrative in the face of Chinese misinformation. So, now, Philippine vessels are armed with journalists ready to document run-ins with the Chinese militia to put on display to the world the bullying that Chinese are doing in the South China Sea.”
“Assertive transparency shifts the calculus on grey zone aggression. It has the impression to impose really steep international reputational cost to the bad actors,” he added.
Philippine Coast Guard Adviser of the Commandant for Maritime Security Commodore Jay Tarriela said that the transparency initiative was a “remarkable success”.
“Our transparency initiative is strategic because it does not require us to just be assertive in telling the truth or to withhold the portion of truth in order to be measured. Instead, it is strategic because it is designed to achieve a grand objective in pursuit of our national security and interest,” Tarriela said.
Tarriela recalled how difficult it was in the initial stages to launch their transparency strategy, especially with the previous administration’s close relationship with the Chinese government.
“The limited information about the situation in the South China Sea during (President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration) allowed misinformation to proliferate on social media platforms. This led many to wrongly perceive China as a good friend and a partner for peace and development,” he said.
“It is evident now, that regardless of your social status and political leaning, Filipinos now unite in recognizing China’s aggressive and unlawful actions in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.
Tarriela said that the release of images and videos of the Chinese Coast Guard and Maritime militia’s activities in Philippine waters have raised global awareness and resulted in the country gaining more support from the international community.
“More countries now are expressing their criticism and standing in solidarity with Manila against Beijing’s bullying behavior and blatant disregard for international law,” Tarriela said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
