U.S.-Philippines alliance

Last week's water cannon incident underscores the hard limits of engagement with China – and the need for the Philippines’ to build up its military capability.

Manila is embracing its alliance with the United States and building closer ties to Japan and Australia to become a strong, equal partner that can uphold a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.

The strengthening Philippines-U.S. alliance should remain focused on the South China Sea – and not overreach on Taiwan. 

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

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.

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.

The Chinese embassy in Manila said that the expansion of EDCA "will seriously harm Philippine national interests and endanger regional peace and stability."

Manila is seeking to shore up defense capabilities in the disputed South China Sea, even as China continues to stress negotiations on a Code of Conduct.

Marcos could be characterized as a middle ground between his predecessors – not as pro-U.S. than Aquino, but less pro-China than Duterte.