Studies On The Philippine-US Security Cooperation After The Cold War

Philippine-US security cooperation has gone through a tortuous process in the post-cold war era. In 1992, U.S was forced to withdraw its military bases in Subic which led to the Philippines-US security cooperation dropping into the valley. A turning point occurred with the Mischief Reef incidents between China and the Philippines in successive 1995 and 1998, and consequently the revival of Philippines-US security cooperation came out. After the "9/11" terrorist attack in 2001,the global war on terrorist launched by U.S pushed their security cooperation to a new climax, the Philippines and U.S shared their common interest on fighting against international terrorism. However, the Filipino hostage incident occurred in July 2004 halted the upward momentum of bilateral security cooperation. As a result,Philippines-US security cooperation showed a bland development trend within Arroyo’s second term. As an alternative, President Arroyo developed a policy "Balance of Powers" and tried to establish closer relation with China. With the U.S returning to Southeast Asia since 2009 as well as the increased tension between China and the Philippines due to South China Sea dispute when President Aquino III took into power in 2010, the new government gradually abandoned its balancing policy between China and the U.S and tried to developed a pro-American foreign policy instead, the Philippines tried to confront with China by deepening its alliance with the U.S. It gives new impetus to the present Philippine-US security cooperation.Philippine-U.S security cooperation after the cold war is characterized with the model "United States assists while Philippine receives", and common goals, bilateral relations and regional environment are three factors mainly affecting the evolution of security cooperation which led to the volatility and periodic adjustment of Philippine-U.S security cooperation in different times. Historically, the security cooperation between the U.S and the Philippines is always in constant upgrading both in breadth and depth and it is still likely to expand in the future. Definitely, Philippine benefits from its security cooperation with the U.S since such this kind of cooperation improves AFP’s military strength, helps counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency as well as enhances Philippine defense capability in the South China Sea dispute.