Philippines employs own version of China's 'gray-zone' tactics, says new Navy chief

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy has developed its own version of Beijing's "gray zone" tactics to counter Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea, its chief said on Wednesday, December 4, during his confirmation hearing with the Commission on Appointments in the Senate.

Newly designated Philippine Navy chief Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta, named to the position by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in November, said the Philippines has "efforts" to counter China's coercive actions but declined to detail these tactics publicly.

"Yes, we have efforts to at least address this issue but I would rather say it in an executive session," Ezpeleta told Sen. Risa Hontiveros during his questioning at the hearing of the Commission on Appointments. Executive sessions are closed-door discussions at the Senate typically held for sensitive matters.

Ezpeleta responded after Hontiveros pressed him on the Philippines' strategy for deterring Beijing's aggression in the South China Sea, noting that "it is very difficult negotiating when we don't have any leverage." 

The senator specifically asked what Filipino versions of gray zone tactics could match China's actions that fall "below the threshold of armed aggression."

Gray zone tactics refer to coercive activities designed to advance a nation's strategic interests while staying below the threshold that would trigger military conflict. 

China has employed such tactics in the South China Sea through the use of its shadowy maritime militia, artificial island construction, and harassment of the Philippines' and other nations' vessels.

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While keeping operational details classified, Ezpeleta outlined the Navy's broader strategy for asserting its presence in the West Philippine Sea — the term the Philippines uses to refer to the waters within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea.

"In order for us to leverage our actions in the [West Philippine Sea], we should continue to put more assets there. We have to support the actions of our white ships, our Coast Guard," the Navy chief said in mixed Filipino and English.

The Navy chief also stressed the need to enhance the Philippines' monitoring of what goes on in its own waters. "Building friends with our allied countries or our like-minded Navies is one way also of leveraging," he added. 

With new "modern assets" in the pipeline, Ezpeleta said the Navy would emphasize its basing strategy to support the use of these new assets, along with continuous training of personnel.

Ezpeleta said these approaches are embedded in the Philippine Navy's eight-year roadmap until 2028. He stressed the Navy's commitment to maintaining territorial integrity through its archipelagic defense strategy.

Hontiveros welcomed the focus on building coalitions with like-minded navies, saying "a bigger coalition is a better coalition to check China's abuse and bullying of us by allying not just again with the United States, but all similar like-minded nations."

On November 28, the Philippine Navy detected for the first time the presence of a Russian attack submarine in the West Philippine Sea some 80 nautical miles west of Cape Calavite, Occidental Mindoro.

Navy spokesperson Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Russian Kilo-class submarine — known for their advanced weaponry and stealth capabilities — surfaced to receive fuel or supplies or to conduct minor repairs. 

Trinidad has acknowledged that the Philippine Navy only has "modest" to "minimal" capabilities to detect underwater threats in Philippine waters. At a press conference on a Monday, Trinidad said the submarine was detected only after it fully surfaced. 

The Navy spokesperson said several vessels with anti-submarine capabilities are already in the procurement pipeline. Specifically, there are six corvettes under construction, while the Philippines is already in the process of procuring six offshore patrol vessels, two additional corvettes, and two landing dock ships.