Aug 31, 2018

The agreement for a single draft text as the basis for further negotiations for a Code of Conduct (COC) is a significant milestone in the long-running South China Sea saga, argues Lucio Blanco Pitlo III.

Aug 01, 2018

Recent events have suggested that the decades-old U.S. policy of accommodation toward China is giving way to greater pushback against Beijing’s advances. However, disproportionate pushback may inject instability into the world’s most important bilateral relationship. Demonstrating competent leadership by leaving room for a negotiated solution is crucial.

Apr 06, 2018

The use of tariffs to address the United States’ trade imbalance with key trade partners will hamper longstanding U.S. economic leadership. For the U.S., addressing the trade imbalance and reviving U.S. manufacturing should not come at the expense of disrupting the established economic trade order and heightening perceptions of American exceptionalism among U.S. allies.

Mar 16, 2018

Cooper and Douglas presented four visions of U.S. strategy towards China: primacy, balance, concert and integration. President Trump’s persona, rhetoric and actions suggest that he will lean more towards primacy with an element of balance in dealing with China. Primacy and balance constitute viable strategies in dealing with an emerging rival, but over reliance on these two unnecessarily limits U.S. foreign policy maneuverability and poses serious danger.

Feb 08, 2018

Xi’s report to the 19th Party Congress outlined promising opportunities for China to play ever greater constructive and positive roles for the world. However, making those contributions will not be without challenges, and the manner and motives behind such efforts will always be under scrutiny.

Jan 09, 2018

Concern over the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear and missile tests and combating terrorism and extremism constitute two of the key security issues discussed in the recently concluded 31st ASEAN and Related Summits held last November in Manila.

Dec 22, 2017

President Trump’s attendance at the recently concluded ASEAN Related Summits held in Manila suggests continued U.S. interest in a region touted as among the key engines of global economic growth and development. This is crucial as ASEAN celebrates its golden anniversary amidst fast changing regional dynamics.

Dec 01, 2017

The resurgence of China creates opportunities for partnership in delivering public goods and sharing the burden of maintaining the global economic and security order. However, China’s rise also brings challenges to traditional U.S. primacy and leadership, especially if such leadership cannot be shared.

Oct 24, 2017

Most of the living and non-living resources in South China Sea are clustered in near coastal waters of littoral states and such resource mapping has far reaching implications in terms of defining potential areas for joint development. Creating potential for joint development of resources between China and the Philippines would put a premium on economic cooperation which has been actively pursued by the Duterte government. While public acceptance and legal challenges remain, it ultimately will be a political exercise of defining national interests and calculating domestic and international responses.

Aug 22, 2017

ASEAN meetings almost always generate expectations of raising the South China Sea (SCS) disputes to the point where the success of the meeting boils down to how tough the adopted language is in the final official statements. Considering the breadth and depth of issues covered by ASEAN in its annual meetings, such reduction is unfortunate and unfair.