PHILIPPINE – US DEFENSE COOPERATION: THE IMPLEMENTATION OF “THE ENHANCED DEFENSE COOPERATION AGREEMENT” TO RESPOND CHINA’S ASSERTIVENESS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA (2010 – 2016)

China assertiveness in the South China Sea has considered as part of its national ambition to dominate most of the sea area as stated in its claim on the “nine-dashed line”. This China assertiveness could be seen in its more active policy by projected military power in area disputing. As one of the claimant states, the Philippine felt that China’s actions toward the region have harmed their territorial sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea. The disputed matter between the Philippine and China count active to flare up from 2010 to 2016 which marked with several incidents between both of the countries navies in Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal. In response to the condition in the South China Sea, the Philippine was trying to enhance their defense posture which considered weak through AFP Modernization Pact initiated by President Benigno Aquino III at the beginning of his administration. Constrained by military budget allowance and limited defense equipment, the Philippine is relying on its military alliance which is the United States that has been created since a long period of time, especially in order to enhance the Philippine external defense. In 2014, both of the countries signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) which is the enhancement of the previous defense cooperation agreements: the Mutual Defense Treaty 1951 and the Visiting Forces Agreement 1998. This new defense cooperation agreement considered to play a significant role in supporting Philippine’ effort on responding the internal and external threats, including the unpredictable China militarization in the South China Sea.