Plano ng Pilipinas at mga kaalyado nito na palawakin ang Squad sa pamamagitan ng pagdagdag ng India at South Korea upang palakasin ang depensa laban sa China sa Indo-Pacific, ayon kay General Romeo S. Brawner, Armed Forces Chief ng Pilipinas.
The Squad ay isang impormal na alyansa ng Australia, Japan, Pilipinas, at Estados Unidos na nagsasagawa ng joint maritime activities sa loob ng exclusive economic zone ng Pilipinas sa South China Sea simula noong nakaraang taon.
At the Raisina Dialogue security forum in New Delhi, Brawner said that tensions between the Philippines and China continue in the disputed part of the South China Sea.
China claims almost the entire ocean, through which $3 trillion worth of trade passes annually. Beijing does not recognize a 2016 arbitration ruling that said its vast territorial claim was baseless.
According to Brawner, the Philippines wants to strengthen its defense by collaborating with Squad in military, intelligence sharing, and joint operations.
“Along with Japan and other partners, we are trying to include India and possibly South Korea in the Squad,” Brawner said during a panel discussion with defense leaders from Japan, India, the U.S., and Australia.
There has been no response yet from the Indian defense ministry and the embassies of South Korea and China on the matter.
“We have similarities with India because we both have a common enemy. I am not afraid to say that China is our enemy,” Brawner added.
He also said that the Philippines and India already have a partnership when it comes to military and defense, and he will open talks on India's participation in the Squad during his meeting with Indian Chief of Defense Staff General Anil Chauhan.
Meanwhile, on March 7, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the actions of the Philippines in the South China Sea were part of a “screenplay” created by external forces to discredit China.
