Toward Programme
Australia stands behind Philippines amid China’s aggression
ASPI The Strategist Institutional·2026-07-22AllianceP5: Strategic DecouplingP7: Alliance Architecture
Why it matters
This article documents Australia's active diplomatic and strategic intervention in Southeast Asia to counter Chinese coercion against the Philippines, directly reinforcing the "Pacific Step-Up" and deterrence-by-alliance doctrine. The commitment to fund and equip the Philippine Coast Guard operationalizes Pillar 7 (Alliance) and reduces China's ability to isolate or intimidate individual regional partners, strengthening the broader Indo-Pacific coalition against unilateral Chinese aggression.
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