‘Cooperation’ between PH, China coast guards — why now? 

A yr and a half in the past, after the worst incident between the Philippines’ and China’s militaries within the West Philippine Sea, the 2 nations touched on the “doable resumption” of a Duterte-era association between their coast guards. 

Practically two years later, a memorandum that will operationalize the “doable resumption” is seemingly near completion, in line with Beijing’s new envoy to Manila, Jing Quan. The Philippines’ Division of Overseas Affairs (DFA) had earlier confirmed the continuing negotiations for cooperation between the 2 businesses. 

“The proposed MOU between the PCG and CCG is mentioned within the BCM as a part of the Sensible Cooperation. The DFA consults with the PCG on technical issues,” DFA spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Deputy Assistant Secretary Rogelio Villanueva Jr. stated in a textual content message to Rappler.   

The BCM or the Bilateral Session Mechanism on the South China Sea is among the many platforms by way of which the Philippines and China sort out points regarding the South China Sea, to incorporate tensions over Beijing’s aggressive actions in areas which might be a part of the Philippines’ unique financial zone. 

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the China Coast Guard (CCG), ought to it’s negotiated efficiently, would appear unusual to some. 

In any case, it’s the PCG that has borne the brunt of the CCG’s aggressive actions in waters Manila calls the West Philippine Sea. 

Movies from Philippine authorities businesses and embedded media have proven, repeatedly, how China makes use of harmful maneuvers and water cannons to drive away PCG vessels on missions to the West Philippine Sea. The CCG does the identical to Filipino fisherfolk in a lot smaller wood vessels.

The Philippine navy has additionally been on the receiving finish of Chinese language harassment. On June 17, 2024, CCG personnel towed the rubber boats of an elite Navy unit throughout a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal. It was that incident, which resulted within the lack of one Filipino soldier’s finger and in depth harm to Philippine navy gear, that triggered curiosity in coast guard talks within the first place. 

What’s going to be within the new MOU? 

Again in 2024, Filipino and Chinese language diplomats mentioned the opportunity of bringing again the Duterte-era Joint Coast Guard Committee. In January 2025, the DFA stated it hoped to “set up a method of cooperation” between the PCG and the CCG forward of a BCM in Xiamen. 

No different particulars concerning the type of that proposed cooperation have been made public. 

Chinese language Ambassador Jing, talking at a Rotary Membership of Manila occasion on March 19, stated the nations’ coast guards “ought to collaborate on constructive initiatives comparable to environmental safety, trash assortment, and search-and-rescue operations,” in line with a BusinessMirror report. 

PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, in the meantime, seemingly distanced the group from the forthcoming MOU. “So far as the PCG is anxious, primarily based on my final dialog with the Commandant, we’re not concerned in crafting this coast guard cooperation with China, particularly relating to plans for joint patrols,” he instructed reporters. 

Villanueva, who’s underneath the DFA’s Maritime and Ocean Affairs Workplace, famous that “discussions haven’t progressed to incorporate risk of joint patrols.”

A PCG consultant was current over the last BCM held in Xiamen again in January 2025. One other BCM is already within the works, with Manila as the subsequent presumptive host. 

“We have now prolonged the invitation to the PCG and are nonetheless finalizing the PH Delegation,” stated Villanueva. 

PH, China maritime cooperation 

Circumstances surrounding Philippine and Chinese language discussions on the South China Sea have definitely modified because the final BCM or the primary time cooperation between the 2 coast guards had been floated throughout these conferences. 

Following the July 2024 BCM, the 2 nations cast a “provisional association” or “provisional understanding” on rotation and resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal. To date, resupply missions by the Philippine Navy to the BRP Sierra Madre have been incident-free, though the Philippines has stopped embedding media on these missions — in stark distinction to its method underneath the transparency initiative, or a Nationwide Safety Council-led effort to reveal Chinese language aggression within the West Philippine Sea. 

However tensions stay excessive in different options within the West Philippine Sea, together with Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, which China has managed entry to since 2012. Harassment towards Filipino vessels — whether or not authorities or of fisherfolk — continues in its neighborhood. 

In August 2025, two Chinese language ships collided off Bajo de Masinloc as Chinese language Navy and CCG vessels tried to chase down a PCG ship. 

There’s additionally Manila’s chairmanship of the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its objective to finalize the Code of Conduct within the South China Sea (COC) between the bloc and China earlier than the yr’s finish. 

The Philippines has been making an attempt, most markedly since January 2026 or the beginning of its chairmanship, to enhance bilateral relations with China. Earlier than a scheduled spherical of COC negotiations in Cebu in January 2026, Beijing and Manila met bilaterally for a political dialogue. It was the primary assembly of its sort in over a yr, or because the final BCM in Xiamen. 

A number of instances within the Marcos administration, the Philippines and China tried to determine communication traces exactly to handle tensions within the West Philippine Sea. 

Following Marcos’ state go to to Beijing in January 2023, the DFA and China’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs agreed to determine a “communication mechanism on maritime points.” By Could 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated China had not but fashioned its workforce for the communication mechanism.

The DFA would later additionally categorical disappointment, by way of a protest, that it was “unable to succeed in its counterpart to the maritime communication mechanism for a number of hours” because the CCG was utilizing water cannons towards the PCG in August 2023. 

Throughout a January 2024 BCM assembly in Shanghai, Manila and Beijing promised to enhance a “maritime communication mechanism” that will contain not simply diplomats however its respective coast guards. 

In July 2024, the 2 nations expanded on the earlier communication settlement, to incorporate representatives designated by their leaders, the overseas ministries, in addition to the coast guards.

Incidents of harassment by China continued nicely after that January 2024 assembly and the July 2024 settlement. – Rappler.com