Philippines Strengthens South China Sea Strategy with $56 Million Thitu Island Upgrade

Out in the South China Seawhere waves crash against the shores of disputed islands, the Philippines is pursuing a military strategy to assert its sovereignty over a region where Beijing’s territorial ambitions are increasingly brazen.

Central to this bold strategy is the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), a sweeping initiative aimed at increasing Manila’s military capabilities and strengthening its maritime borders.

The plan is ambitious and includes upgrades to critical infrastructure and a significant increase in naval and air forces. One of the most critical projects is the expansion of the airstrip on Thitu Island, locally known as Pag-asa. This modest landmass, the largest of the Spratly Islands claimed by the Philippines, could soon become a crucial point in the battle for maritime control.

“(We) are increasing our concentration, our focus and our emphasis on external features up to our 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone,” Philippine Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said on Tuesday.

The implementation of the CADC “is a long-term process that will take place in several phases,” he said. But this is more than just a military upgrade; it is a statement of intent.