Philippines

The 2+2 meeting of defense and foreign ministers coincided with the opening of the largest-ever iteration of the annual Balikatan military exercise.

The South China Sea is a crowded region with a substantial level of military capabilities already present. The risks of escalation are real.

The GSI seems to be China’s new blueprint for security cooperation, but its impact in Southeast Asia will be marginal at best.

This is the first such meeting to take place since late in the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.

The U.S. military will be granted access to three additional military facilities in the northern Philippines, and one on the island of Palawan in the South China Sea.

News about anti-mining protests and a massive oil spill reflects the rising concern about the rapid destruction of island ecosystems across the Philippines.

President Marcos came to office promising to pursue a centrist position between the U.S. and China. Both internal and external factors complicate his plans.

Beijing is paying close attention to the rapid developments in the Philippines-U.S. alliance, and China is not happy with what it sees.

Chinese officials took the opportunity to voice their opposition to a recent expansion of the U.S. military presence in the Philippine archipelago.

The rapid warming of relations with the U.S. has prompted warnings from Beijing, and domestic political pushback.

The upgrade at Manila's Basa Air Base is part of $82 million in U.S.-funded infrastructure upgrades at military bases included under a 2014 defense pact.

This year has seen a series of armed ambushes of local government officials. Meanwhile, the "war on drugs" continues.