By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter
THE PHILIPPINES should fast-track the construction of a planned port in Batanes province to bolster its security stance north of the country, security experts said at the weekend.
The Batanes provincial government last year said that plans to construct a US-funded civilian port in the country’s northernmost island province were under discussion. Analysts have said the project could help in establishing a stronger presence in the Luzon strait, the waterway that separates the Philippines from Taiwan.
“Its tactical importance will be its impact on logistics and overall deployment of forces in the area,” Sherwin E. Ona, a security analyst and associate professor at the De La Salle University, said in a Viber message.
The Philippines lies between two major geopolitical flashpoints, with the South China Sea to its west, which China claims almost entirely, and Taiwan to its north, which Beijing considers a breakaway province.
China has threatened to annex the self-ruled island, by force if necessary, endangering Taiwan’s population of 23 million and threatening the world’s most advanced semiconductor factories.
Taiwan’s ex-Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng in 2021 said China could be ready to mount a full-scale invasion of the island state by this year, while former US Indo-Pacific Commander John C. Aquilino said all indications point to the possibility of a Taiwan invasion by 2027.
In April, Philippine military chief General Romeo S. Brawner, Jr. instructed forces to prepare for a Taiwan contingency, emphasizing readiness while clarifying that the country is not seeking armed conflict.
“In the case of a Taiwan contingency, an expanded port means increased ability to conduct military operations, especially for logistics,” said Mr. Ona. “This is, of course, for both offensive and defensive purposes.”
Going ahead with the planned port would improve access to the island in case of conflict, Chester B. Cabalza, founding president of Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.
“This is the best time to accomplish it given the geostrategic location of Batanes between the Philippines and Taiwan. The port will hasten the demanding logistical need for interoperability in the flashpoint area,” he said.
