Philippines wins more support against China as it celebrates the 9th anniversary of the tribunal victory
Admiral Stephen Koehler, the US Pacific Fleet commander, speaking at Stratbase Group’s annual conference last July 11, 2025. Photo from Stratbase Group’s facebook page.
By: Manuel Mogato | Published: July 15, 2025
Reading Time: 4 minutes
MANILA — An American admiral said China has failed to intimidate the Philippines in its dispute in the South China Sea amid intense bullying tactics.
Admiral Stephen Koehler, the US Pacific Fleet commander, said the Philippines won more support from the international community to resist intimidation as it celebrated the 9th anniversary of its landmark legal victory in the international arbitration court.
Koehler said the US Pacific Fleet’s mission was to deter China’s aggression with allies and partners, “and to prevail in combat if necessary.”
He said China’s tactics have “grown steadily and more aggressive with rammings, water cannons, lasers and sometimes worse,” Koehler said. “But despite these bullying tactics […] China has failed to intimidate Southeast Asian claimants into surrendering their sovereign rights.”
“We’ve seen a laudable resilience and resolve to defend their maritime rights in the face of mounting pressure,” Koehler told a forum, reiterating the US commitment to defend freedom of navigation and the rule of law in the disputed waters
“Nearly all Southeast Asian littoral states are now prioritizing stronger maritime capabilities. The U.S. Pacific Fleet is always ready to work with you to strengthen deterrence and show no individual country can be pushed around.”
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Koehler said deterrence is a team sport where every individual state helps keep peace and stability in the region.
Deterrence, he added, has worked to prevent a larger conflict and crisis that could hamper the flow of trade through the waterway and affect many economies.
Western and Asian ambassadors, including from the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, the European Union, Japan, Vietnam, and New Zealand, spoke at the forum, organized by Stratbase to mark the 9th anniversary of the issuance of a 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s claims to virtually the entire South China Sea.
Koehler cited how Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam have sustained or expanded their offshore oil and gas operations in their Exclusive Economic Zones in the South China Sea despite Beijing’s growing assertiveness. The Philippines, he said, has boldly exposed China’s assertive actions by publicizing the dangerous maneuvers of Chinese forces, including the use of powerful water cannons and laser beams.
US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said the arbitration ruling was a triumph for the Philippines and “a beacon guiding us toward a future where powerful countries cannot trample on the legal rights of other states.”
“Nine years on, Beijing has ignored the ruling and continues to operate with impunity,” Carlson said. “China continues to engage in illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions in support of its spurious claims.”
She renewed a warning that the U.S. is obligated to defend the Philippines under a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty if Philippine forces come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.
In a video message at the forum, Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro said that “it is a strategic consideration that we continue the dialogue and consultation with China, even amidst tensions that severely impact the bilateral relationship.”
Chinese and Philippine officials plan to hold another round of talks in Beijing on their increasingly tense disputes in the South China Sea later this month to prevent further escalation.
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