A successful Luzon Economic Corridor could help rehabilitate trust in the U.S. commitment to Southeast Asia.
The Philippines
China’s efforts to bolster control of the South China Sea have yet to produce tangible results. Instead, they’ve further complicated China’s position.
There’s a risk that as the Philippines grows more assured by U.S. support, it could grow reckless in dealing with China.
The South China Sea will remain unpredictable in 2024. But momentum has shifted in favor of the Southeast Asian claimants.
Physical encounters between Philippine and Chinese ships in the South China Sea are increasing “at an alarming rate.”
China may pursue “horizontal” escalation in the South China Sea, intensifying current grey-zone actions below the threshold of using force.
China seeks to control the South China Sea by using its power to bend specific rules within existing frameworks to align with its interests.
The Barbie controversy is as much about the purchasing power of Chinese consumers as it is about the Communist Party.
A battle for power is already taking shape in the South China Sea, with regular confrontations between U.S. and Chinese vessels.
Under President Marcos, U.S.-Philippines relations have been revitalized. Manila has given Washington access to four more military bases.