Abstract:
Nowadays, the South China Sea has been identified with increasing defense
spending and military modernization of the neighboring countries which are
driven by China’s assertive behavior in the region. China’s assertiveness in
the South China Sea is an expression of its growing ambition over the region
which is part of its core interests. China’s assertiveness is buoyed by its
significant military presence and power projection in the region. Japan and
the Philippines are having converging threat perceptions towards China’s
assertiveness in the South China Sea as well as sharing common interests to
respond to the assertive China. Contested with China’s assertive behavior,
since 2012, Japan and the Philippines have been conducting dynamic
maritime diplomacy in order to safeguard the status quo of the sea from the
assertive China. The implementation of Japan-Philippines maritime
diplomacy in responding to China’s assertiveness in South China Sea is a
form of “proactive approach” by Japan, following the “Proactive
Contribution to Peace” banner resounded under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
administration. The proactive approach in this research features the concept
of balance of power and cooperative maritime diplomacy.
