China's Aggression in the Indo-Pacific

In the Indo-Pacific region, if we know,

there is one fundamental challenge.

That is the aggression by China and the unlawful and illegal expansion of China.

But China today, who knows tomorrow?

So, this expansion and aggression carries different iterations

in several areas.

In purpose and result, that includes

stymieing our supply chains and industrial cycles

to the capture of a single country whose interests are hostile to ours.

And I find it valuable at this time

to talk about not only the challenges in the West Philippine Sea, but the internal challenges

that the capture by agents

or entities or nationals identified

with the People's Republic of China have with our critical infrastructure, our

our retail, and in the most granular of levels,

cartelization has occurred in certain commodities, not in rice, but there.

And this has formed a barrier to entry

of bona fide participants

in forming capital for major foundational industries

that we need to industrialize and be more resilient.

And this we are at the forefront of combating.

So, that is why I gave a preparatory statement earlier

that the role of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is both internal and external because these have an internal-external

result.

And if we are not resilient internally on a peace and order

or a national security level, then our external

defense initiatives necessarily are compromised.

The next level of commitment would be

uh, uh, shall we say, not giving in.

It's not only resolve, but indomitability.

That means we know the odds are not clearly in our favor,

but yet we stay the course.

This is a level of commitment, once again,

with purpose against a determined adversary

whose relentlessness is uncaring for

its own people.

Several millions of lives during the journey of this country

have been wasted because of, uh, experiments like the Great Leap Forward, etc.,

to no avail.

And as one of my favorite authors has pointed out,

our adversary is distinct from the rest

because of the fact that its Indo-Pacific policy is directly tied to the legitimacy

of its ruling class and elite.

Legitimacy of an autocratic regime

and its iterations is a constant pursuit because once legitimacy is lost,

then they do not retain the, the prerequisites of power.

So, in that sense,

let me wrap up by stating

that there's much work to be done. And the next 10 years, as Richard had asked, what would I want to see?

I would like to see

a visible economic

dividend

from the West Philippine Sea that we all have worked for,

if unilaterally or in convergence with those who have truly helped us.

That is a goal that I would like to see so that we mark our 20th year

with something that is gained and something we can tell our people

has directly benefited them.

So, to the next 10 years, mabuhay po tayong lahat.

Yakapin natin ang lahat ng ating karagatan and thank you to our convergence partners.