The Philippines’ ties with Australia are ‘stronger than ever’. Is it a sign it has West’s backing in South China Sea?

“Today, that peace, that stability and our continued success have come under threat. Once again, we must come together as partners to face the common challenges confronting the region,” he said. “Not one single country can do this by itself, no single force can attend, counter them, by themselves.”

Marcos Jnr’s comments were symbolic, said Bjorn Dressel, director of the Australian National University’s ANU Philippines Institute.

Alongside collaboration on military patrols, he said the Philippines also valued having other countries such as Australia and the US step up to fend off unacceptable acts of aggression in the South China Sea.

“For international law to be respected, you rely on other state actors to lend you support whenever there is a violation,” Dressel said.

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Chinese floating barrier blocks entrance to Philippine ships at South China Sea flashpoint

Asia-based academic Richard Heydarian said it was clear Marcos Jnr was serious about growing a strategic relationship with Australia, especially given the lull in their ties over recent years.

Duterte also criticised Australia for meddling in Filipino affairs by condemning his anti-drug campaign that led to more than 6,000 extrajudicial killings.

He pointed out that Malaysia remained “fiercely independent” even as the region found itself under increasing pressure to pick sides between China and the US.

“If they have problems with China, they should not impose it upon us,” Anwar said. “We do not have a problem with China.”

Don McLain Gill, an international-studies lecturer at De La Salle University in the Philippines, said Manila’s “robust” foreign policy of deepening and broadening its security ties, with partners in the region and beyond, was aimed at strengthening its