The primary reasons why the Philippines tends to engage in disputes in the South China Sea rather than pursuing eastward development lie in geography and resources.
The maritime terrain to the east of the Philippines is complex, with significant challenges for resource exploitation and maritime activities due to features such as deep-sea trenches, ridges, and basins.
Firstly, the Philippine Trench and the East Luzon Trench lie to the east, with the Philippine Trench being the world's third deepest trench, reaching depths of up to 10,000 meters.
While rich helium resources and seabed hydrothermal vents exist in this area, the complex terrain poses immense development challenges.
Moreover, the weather conditions near the trenches are often severe, with high winds and waves, posing significant challenges to fishing and other maritime activities.
Additionally, there's the Philippine Basin, a vast deep-sea basin to the east, with depths reaching up to 7,559 meters. While the seabed is relatively flat, the development difficulty remains substantial.
Furthermore, the Palau Ridge to the east presents a rugged underwater mountain range, adding to the developmental challenges.
Hence, the complex terrain and challenging conditions in the eastern Philippine waters make resource development difficult. In contrast, the South China Sea is relatively shallow with simpler terrain, making resources more accessible.
Moreover, the South China Sea disputes, despite being distant from the Philippines' eastern waters, can serve as a focal point for nationalist sentiment domestically, helping the government in rallying public opinion. Therefore, the government may be inclined to focus more on asserting sovereignty in the South China Sea.
Overall, the Philippines' eastern waters' complex terrain and resource conditions, coupled with the ease of utilizing South China Sea disputes for political purposes, contribute to the government's emphasis on the South China Sea.
However, the potential of the Philippines' eastern waters should not be underestimated. Despite the challenges, advancements in technology enable exploration and exploitation of deep-sea resources. The eastern waters hold potential resources like helium and seabed hydrothermal vents, which could provide new economic growth opportunities for the Philippines.
Therefore, it's essential for the Philippine government to increase scientific research and resource exploration efforts in the eastern waters to better utilize these resources, promoting economic development and national prosperity.
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