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In Defense Of The Spratly Islands: The Philippines' Bilateral Defense Policy Against A Looming China, Eric S. Cruz Apr 2015

In Defense Of The Spratly Islands: The Philippines' Bilateral Defense Policy Against A Looming China, Eric S. Cruz

International Studies Capstone Research Papers

This research paper examines how China’s encroachment of the Spratly Islands has forced the Philippines to increase their dependency on bilateral defense agreements with the United States. Beginning with the significance of the Asia – Pacific in the 21st century and its key waterway, the South China Sea, this paper examines the Spratly Island dispute beginning in 1995 and continuing to present. Both China’s actions in claiming territory and the Philippines’ strategy of intensifying their ties with the U.S. are detailed throughout. The Philippines have found it essential to take such actions as Chinese aggression has increased since 1995, …