Australia Pledges P1.2 Billion Maritime Aid, New Drones to PH Amid China Tensions

MANILA, Philippines — Australia announced on Thursday, July 23, nearly P1.2 billion in new maritime assistance to the Philippines, including new drones for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), amid shared concerns over China's conduct at sea. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, in a speech at De La Salle University in Manila, also called China's recent test of a nuclear-capable submarine-launched missile from the South China Sea, which flew over the Philippines, "provocative and destabilising." The bulk of the package doubles Australia's bilateral maritime assistance to the Philippines through a new P770-million (A$18 million) investment over four years, on top of P427 million (A$10 million) in "cutting-edge" drone technology and operator training for the PCG. The funding sits within a larger P6.8-billion (A$160 million), 10-year Australian program to expand maritime cooperation with Southeast Asian partners, covering maritime domain awareness, governance reform, and marine environment protection. "Australia, with others, will continue to register our concerns about Chinese vessels engaging in destabilising and dangerous conduct in the South China Sea, including towards Philippine, Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Indonesian vessels," Wong said. Wong also announced a new P470-million (A$11 million), five-year phase of the ASEAN-Australia Political Security Partnership, which she said would support practical collaboration on shared regional security challenges, including discussions on an early warning system to prevent crises from descending into conflict. China's missile test earlier this month, Wong said, came with too little information and notification, including to the Philippines, over which the missile flew, and to Pacific nations near where it landed. "It comes in the context of a rapid military build-up of China's nuclear arsenal, without the transparency or reassurance the region expects," she said. "This is why Australia has described the test as provocative and destabilising." She cited the Hague Code of Conduct on ballistic missile activities — subscribed to by 145 countries, including Australia and the United States — as the benchmark for transparency needed to avoid miscalculation. The Australian foreign minister also marked the 10th anniversary of the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea, which she described as a "unanimous, clear, and binding" decision, saying Australia has consistently called on both China and the Philippines to abide by it. "The erosion of collective rights under international law does not benefit stability. It does not reinforce sovereignty. And it does not strengthen our shared resilience," Wong said. Wong's visit comes during the Philippines' ASEAN chairship and as the two countries mark 80 years of diplomatic relations. Beyond security, Wong pointed to Australia's role in the region's supply chains as the Middle East conflict keeps pressure on energy prices across Southeast Asia, noting Australia supplies a third of the Philippines' liquefied natural gas needs, half of its wheat imports, and nearly a fifth of its beef. The Philippines and Australia elevated their ties to a strategic partnership in 2023, the highest level of bilateral relations between two nations.