Australia and South Korea: Steadfast partners, real friends
As the year 2023 draws to a close, we look back at what happened this year and conclude that the geopolitical and geoeconomic risks that the Philippines faces have become more complex than ever.
Specifically, we saw how a coercive, antagonistic, and belligerent state continued to assert its dominance in an area already established by international law as belonging to the Philippines. There was a laser pointing incident, water cannon incidents, a collision, and the installation of floating barriers, among others. The destruction of our coral reefs as a result of marine adventurism also came to light. In response to such acts, the Philippines has filed a total of 54 diplomatic protests to say we are not taking these incursions sitting down.
More importantly, we have been strengthening our ties with like-minded nations who share the same ideals and values as we do. After all, maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region is also in their interest. In fact, it is in the interest of any nation that believes in fairness and decency, and that respects the rule of law.