The Philippines is strengthening its South China Sea strategy with a $56 million upgrade to Thitu Island

Outside South China Seawhere waves crash on the shores of disputed islands, Philippines is implementing a military strategy aimed at consolidating its sovereignty over the region where Beijing’s territorial ambitions are becoming more and more bold.

At the center of this bold strategy is the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), a wide-ranging initiative aimed at strengthening Manila’s military capabilities and strengthening its maritime borders.

The plan is ambitious and includes the modernization of key infrastructure and a significant increase in maritime and air resources. The most important projects include the expansion of the airstrip on Thitu Island, known locally as Pag-asa. This inconspicuous land mass, the largest of the Spratly Islands claimed by the Philippines, may soon become a key point in the fight for control of the sea.

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

The implementation of CADC “is a long-term process that will be implemented in various phases,” he said. But it’s more than just military modernization; it is a declaration of will.