Opinion | With Laos and Vietnam, Beijing can boast its LV brand; without China, Philippines' growth is in doubt

By Augustus K. Yeung

INTRODUCTION

The European brand name, LV brags a story of rags-to-riches. So do Laos and Vietnam (LV), the two developing countries, China's stable friends.

How can they become stable and prosperous? Follow China's footsteps.

It all started with discipline, beginning with the joint military drills, which will bring stability and economic growth.

For China joint military drills signify mutual trust between or among countries involved. It is believed to be the best way to keep out terrorist groups and deter wars.

Unlike the American joint drills, neighbors China and Laos have begun joint military drills "to improve coordination against transnational armed criminal groups".

The American-led joint drills target a potential enemy or rival country, instead of terrorist groups, for example, the intimidating 'Balikatan' US-Philippines joint drills, which riled the PLA.

Laos has one of the closest relationships with China in the ASEAN bloc…

The exercise in Laos – known as "Friendship Shield 2023" – will see troops firing multiple types of weapons and carrying out single-unit combat training, detachment tactics and support for combat operations, Xinhua said.

An opening ceremony was held on Thursday at the Laotian military's Kommadam Academy, with the exercises expected to run until May 28.

China has been trying to shore up military ties with countries in Southeast Asia, holding its first naval drills with ally Cambodia in March and Singapore last week.

Both drills were overseen by the PLA's Southern Theatre Command, which is also involved in the joint exercises with Laos.

China and Laos held joint humanitarian exercises in July last year, where troops simulated rescue missions on a train with pandemic control equipment on board.

It was part of the "Peace Train" medical drills between the two-armed forces on the China-Laos Railway, a flagship (economic development) project under Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative.

In the latest drills, the PLA and Laotian military would simulate fighting "illegal activities by transnational armed criminal groups" based in the jungle and mountainous areas.

Over 900 troops will take part, with Chinese soldiers drawn from the PLA Group Force 75thGroup Army. Colonel Ren Youzong is the drill's commander.

Ren said China had sent more than 300 items of equipment to Laos, including assault vehicles, ordnance, and minesweeping and explosive disposal equipment.

CCTV also reported the PLA's training would focus on using light weapons and artillery as well as tactics employed by squads, platoons and companies.

China and Laos signed a joint statement in December, vowing to cooperate on defense, military drills and training, during a visit to Beijing by Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith.

The Laotian leader and President Xi Jinping also promised to work together on "counter-terrorism and border control".

Laos has one of the closest relationships with China among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Most FDI in Laos comes from China. In 2021, investments totaled US$1.3 billion, or 66 per cent of all FDI, according to the latest data.

Vietnam, too, has managed to keep strong ties with China …

Vietnam had suffered because of a great power ideological struggle: In the 1960s, the US viewed Vietnam as a domino in its theory that China's communist revolution would spread to Southeast Asia, and small countries would subsequently fall like dominoes. The result was the Vietnam War.

Vietnam is an ally of Russia, a comprehensive strategic partner of China.

Once Hillary Clinton, the former US Secretary of State coaxed and cajoled Vietnam to stand up to "China's attempts to intimidate it over its maritime claims" when Vietnam was playing host as the annual duty chair of ASEAN. It didn't work.

Vietnam has since learned a lesson, and has been attracted to Beijing, which has offered benefits to Hanoi as manufacturing companies are moving out of China to Vietnam under the pressure of US trade tariffs.

As a result, it has come up with a "four noes" policy – no military alliances, no siding with one country to counter the other, no foreign military bases, and no force or threat of the use of force in international relations.

"This has proved to be a foundation of its 'hedging' and a way to keep it from getting dragged into a military conflict between major powers," said Mark J. Valencia, a seasoned Asian observer.

Unfortunately, the Philippines under Marcos Jr. has strengthened its security cooperation with the US, undertaken military exercises with the US, agreed in principle to conduct joint patrols in the South China Sea and extend the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement under its alliance with the US. (Source: SCMP)

CONCLUSION

Marcos had started well with his state visit to Beijing, clinching favorable deals. However, he made an about-turn when the usual row repeated involving its fishermen. He then turned to Washington to solve its perennial disputes with China.

In addition to the five bases the US military has access to, under the EDCA, it has added four more. Several of the nine have ready access to the South China Sea and two of the additions are in northern Luzon.

China has said it is concerned they could be used for intelligence collections.

To head off Chinese anger, the Philippines has qualified the arrangement. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo told a Senate hearing that the US would not be allowed to stockpile weapons at sites in the Philippines for use in operations in Taiwan.

Marcos also bans the US from access to the Philippine bases for "offensive actions" against any country.

The Philippines may face economic backlash from the Chinese.

Decades from now, Laos and Vietnam are destined to become modern metropolis (countries ranking high and mighty) among other advancing ASEAN nations such as Singapore and Indonesia. These countries are development conscious – rather than being bewitched by US military-industrial complex.

In the US-China rivalry, one top Indonesian leader has recently made an insightful remark, saying, "The US is a superpower, but it is a geopolitically 'irrelevant' superpower."

 

The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.

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