The paradise islands hit by the ‘cold war’ between the US and China

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With tensions running high in the region, the few people living on small islands in the region find themselves in the middle of the two superpowers. Remote islands in the Philippines are on the front lines of US-China tensions LINDLE MARKWELL via BBC The largest military exercises ever held between the United States and the Philippines are coming to a close. The drills began just days after China’s military attempted a blockade of Taiwan – a move the US accused of being disproportionate. With tensions running high in the region, the few people living on small islands in the region find themselves in the middle of the two superpowers. Life is fragile in Itbayat. The steep limestone cliffs and rolling hills that make up this small island in the far north of the Philippines rise up out of the Luzon Strait. Even on a good day, strong waves in the blue seas stir small fishing boats that are positioned waiting for the flying fish, which are a favorite of the local population. Nearly 3,000 natives—fishermen and farmers—have survived here in the face of earthquakes, typhoons, and droughts. But now they face a new and different threat. His island risks being caught in the middle of a conflict between the US and China as the military pushes ever deeper to try to gain the upper hand in the South China Sea. At the heart of the matter is Taiwan. China’s claims to the autonomous island are growing. And the US commitment to defend it as well. And the islands of Itbayat and Basco, which make up the sprawling Philippine archipelago of Batanes, are in the crossfire. They appear as mere dots in the ocean that surrounds them. But their proximity to Taiwan — just 156 km away from Itbayat — made the islands strategic, but also vulnerable. Analysts often talk about rising tensions between the two superpowers, but what is it like to live in the biggest flashpoint between Beijing and Washington? Point of conflict between Beijing and Washington BBC Itbayat often has no contact with the outside world for weeks. The island seems almost impenetrable. Small harbors are often carved into the cliffs and getting to a boat involves descending steep rock-cut steps. The color of the water that hugs the land is a deep turquoise — and so clear that you can see the fish playing among the corals. Itbayat seems untouched by man, except for the indigenous community that lives there. Few here have televisions. A network of messages relayed from house to house or through the church congregation is often more reliable than the spotty telephone signal. But they don’t need TV news or social media to learn about the turbulent relationship between the US and China that threatens their shores. It’s closer than ever. Who controls the waves? US soldiers prepare for drill COURTESY US ARMED FORCES via BBC Crouched down, eyes on their gun sights and in head-to-toe camouflage, members of the US Army’s 25th Infantry Division train on the island of Basco. They are training an island defense against potential aggressors. The exercise was among the largest ever conducted between the US and the Philippines. At sea, the mission is controlled by the USS Miguel Keith, a Navy ship, while V-22 Osprey aircraft fly over the island, to the amazement of residents who took out their cell phones to film. The simulation even involved rocket launchers being sent to beaches using amphibious unit landing vehicles. “The objective of our campaign in this region is to prevent conflicts from occurring,” says Maj. Gen. Joseph Ryan, commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division. “We don’t want a war with the PRC [República Popular da China]. We don’t want that, we don’t want that, and we’re not causing that. A war with the PRC is not good for anyone.” But, he admits, both forces are sending messages. “The message is that we’re ready, we’re capable, we’re prepared. We have a great partnership here. And we mean it.” The two sides are certainly arming, as is all of Asia. China is still the region’s biggest buyer of new military hardware, with this year’s defense budget at an all-time high — about US$ 224 billion. The US, for its part, has been keen to show its capabilities, staging more and more military exercises with allies across the region, including Japan, South Korea and Australia. For Washington, it’s not just about It’s also about a display of shiny new weapons. It’s also about consolidating alliances—the White House has been sending envoys more often than usual to Asia, hoping to build a robust coalition to fight China. And that includes the Strategically located Philippines Philippines BBC “The situation is heating up,” Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. admitted in a recent interview with a local radio station ahead of his visit to Washington this week. to China than his predecessor and that includes ordering more Navy and Coast Guard patrols. Fishermen at the Front But what would be monotonous patrols elsewhere has the potential to escalate into conflict in the South China Sea, where even fishing can trigger a geopolitical crisis. Beijing claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea — a strategic waterway through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually — despite an international court ruling that the claim has no legal basis. “Chinese fishermen used to harass us,” says Cyrus Malupa, 59. “When we reported this to the government, it placed a military base on Mavulis Island to the north. Now we have Philippine Marines on duty,” he adds. In March, the Navy began a month-long mission to the uninhabited island, describing it as the country’s “first line of defense” and raising the Philippine flag to its highest peak. A small but bold act of sovereignty. For Cyrus and others who live in small boats for days in hopes of catching enough tuna to sell in the local market, the geopolitical dispute is personal. It affects their ability to feed their families. Hundreds of Filipino fishermen have reported incidents of traditional fishing grounds in the South China Sea that have been isolated for more than a decade — particularly in the disputed seas near the Spratly Islands. “We don’t have as much fishing because hunters have more advanced technology,” says Cyrus. “We locals use the old way of fishing, like lines and smaller nets. But these fishermen have more advanced technology to catch as much as possible.” Fishermen in Itbayat: Antonio Villa, Daniel De Guzman and Cyrus Malupa BBC Manila made nearly 200 diplomatic protests against Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea — where Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping territorial claims. “It’s natural to be worried because any conflict will affect our lives,” says Victor Gonzales, 51 years old. “First we fear for our lives and then there is the possible exodus of people coming from Taiwan as we have limited resources.” Like most people in Itbayat, Victor works the land when the sea is rough and goes out fishing when the sea is calm. Harvesting is done by hand, without the help of machines or fertilizers. Instead, farmers alternate sweet potatoes, rice, corn, garlic and onions. A single farm can feed about 25 families. “We need to protect our resources because that’s how we live and we have no alternative. We want to have something to pass on to the next generation”, says Victor. The concern is so deep that local government leaders in the Batanes Islands announced to reporters last December that they would secure food supplies to prepare for a possible conflict. Weapons and allies The prohibition signs around the Camilo Osias naval base on the beaches of Santa Ana are hand-painted and difficult to understand—almost obscured by the dozens of green fishing boats anchored in the sand. It’s Sunday and some of the men who would normally be at sea are getting drunk in the shade on Filipino gin. Some water buffalo wallow in the shallow waters, scaring birds that come to land on their backs with their tails. Nearby, women do their laundry in huge basins—the suds running down the sides. Santa Ana is a sleepy town on the northern tip of the main island of Luzon. There’s little activity around the tiny Philippine naval base, which is so tucked away on a corner of the beach that it hardly stands out—except for the prohibition signs. Here is an airstrip that will give the US access to the Taiwan Strait. “It’s not really a base. I would say it’s more like a scout camp,” says Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba. Remote, idyllic islands like Basco have become strategically important due to their proximity to Taiwan BBC Remote, idyllic islands like Basco have become strategically important due to their proximity to Taiwan. This is one of four new bases in the Philippines that US troops can access as the two countries strengthen their military alliance. Two of the new locations are in the northern province of Cagayan and face Taiwan. “This is not my call or the call of our people. It is the call of our national leaders. We will fulfill it. We may disagree with it, but really it’s all because we don’t want war,” says Mamba. “We are poor and we have our local problems too. That’s why any cause of uncertainty will be a bigger problem for all of us.” Mamba is concerned that the two US bases in his province will make the islands a target. He hoped to bring Chinese tourists to the region or build a new international airport. Now he fears that Beijing will abandon the Philippines when the country needs his business more than ever. “It’s hard for us to choose between the two. Between a neighbor who was never our enemy and an ally who has been by our side through so many difficulties. If only they could stay together, if only they could talk, if only there was a middle ground for them meet.” Governor Mamba’s comments reflect growing anxiety in parts of Asia. Will they be forced to choose between a longtime ally, the US, and their biggest trading partner, China? Back in Basco, capital of the small Philippine province of the Batanes Islands, 21-year-old Ave Marie Garcia is helping travelers get flights to and from her home island of Itbayat. She doesn’t keep an eye on the news — but she couldn’t help but see or hear about the latest military exercises. Ave Marie Garcia says she hopes her growing alliance with the US doesn’t force her to leave BBC “I don’t think the US is going to provoke war with these military exercises. It’s just that the US is trying to help the Philippine military protect this island and communicate to the Chinese that this region is protected”, she says. Ave is one of 11 siblings and, like many in the Philippines, her mother works abroad to send money back to her family. Her family home, made of traditional stone, has survived over the centuries, but is now in ruins after an earthquake in 2019 — a reminder that life is fragile here. Ave and her siblings were raised by her strict grandmother. But in Ave there are small signs of rebellion. Her long dark hair is dyed blonde at the ends. And yet, she is a native at heart. Her hope is to preserve her ancestors’ way of life, even if that means saying no to America. She believes there needs to be boundaries. “I’m worried about the future — our future. I hope they don’t build structures here for the US military, I just want to leave it as it is. They can visit this place, but they can’t build something here that will cause someone to invade us. For me it’s scary.” People here feel miles away from politics and bellicose rhetoric, and try not to think about what might happen. “Island life is a simple life,” says Ave. Every day, she and her family pray that it stays that way.

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