Skip to content

Cart

Your cart is empty

Article: Philippines to buy submarines amid South China Sea tension, official says

Philippines to buy submarines amid South China Sea tension, official says

Philippines to buy submarines amid South China Sea tension, official says

PHOTO CAPTION: Philippines National Flag is pictured as the rainbow displays over it a day before the annual procession to celebrate Black Nazarene feast day at Quirino Grandstand in Manila, Philippines, January 8, 2020. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan

 

 

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has approved the third phase of the military's modernisation, which includes the purchase of the country's first submarine, in order to defend its maritime sovereignty in the disputed South China Sea.

Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Roy Trinidad, said on Thursday the third phase of modernisation reflected a shift in strategy away from internal to external defence.

"We may not be a large navy...but we would have a navy that will take care of our territorial rights and sovereignty," Trinidad said.

The third phase of the modernisation plan, which underwent revisions to make it more attuned to the country's needs, is estimated to cost 2 trillion pesos ($35.62 billion) and will be implemented over a period of several years, said Trinidad.

The announcement comes at a time of growing tensions with China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Manila refers to that part of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone as West Philippines Sea.

Trinidad could not immediately say how many submarines the Philippines intend to acquire, but he said, "definitely more than one."

France, Spain, Korea and Italy have shown interest in supplying the Philippines with submarines, he said.

Southeast Asian neighbours like Indonesia and Vietnam already have submarine programmes.

While the first and second phase of the military's modernisation plan were "land centric", said Trinidad, the third phase will seek, among others, to boost military capabilities on the West Philippines Sea.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said last month acquisitions under the third phase will focus on an array of capabilities, ranging from domain awareness, intelligence, deterrence capabilities in the maritime and aerial space.

Beijing and Manila have traded sharp accusations in recent months over a succession of run-ins in the South China Sea, where each have overlapping sovereignty claims, including charges that China in December rammed a ship carrying the Philippine armed forces chief of staff.

China claims most of the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia. An international tribunal in 2016 invalidated China's claim in a ruling on a case brought by the Philippines, which Beijing rejects.

($1 = 56.1500 Philippine pesos)



(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Michael Perry)

MORE FROM THE

OAF NATION NEWSROOM

US approves strikes against Iranian targets in Iraq and Syria, CBS News reports

US approves strikes against Iranian targets in Iraq and Syria, CBS News reports

U.S. plans have been approved for multi-day strikes in Iraq and Syria against multiple targets, including Iranian personnel and facilities, CBS News reported Thursday, citing American officials. Ta...

Read more
Turkey still interested in Eurofighters despite progress on US F-16s

Turkey still interested in Eurofighters despite progress on US F-16s

Turkey is still interested in buying 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, a Turkish defence ministry official said on Thursday after the United States advanced the $23 billion sale of its F-16 fighter jets...

Read more
#3 Liquid error (layout/theme line 179): Could not find asset snippets/back-in-stock-helper.liquid