With stepped up military cooperation, the Philippines has joined the “first team” of U.S. allies working to restrict and subdue China. Yet others, such as Indonesia, have applied the brakes.

After years of distrust, Vietnam and the Philippines may finally have the opportunity to establish a truly consequential strategic partnership amid rising geopolitical uncertainty in the South China Sea.

The summit did not alter the overall direction of the United States or its core group of allies. U.S.-led competition with China only entered a new phase. America’s objectives have not changed, although it now sees the need to make adjustments.

Hosting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was the opening act for China’s diplomatic efforts this 2023. As the Lunar New Year dawns, it is worth reflecting on what the visit meant for both countries.

China’s next move is the subject of much speculation and worry for observers and enemies. The current conditions of today’s geopolitical stage should lead China towards its Southeast Asian neighbors in what may be its next international outreach campaign.

The rapid decline in understanding between China and the U.S. has sparked concerns over the peaceful transition from one dominant power to the other.

The Phillipines geographic location has long made it a close trading partner to China, but a colonial history with the U.S. has left strong bonds with its century-old ally to this day. Now, as China and the U.S. talk themselves into more hostile territory, how the Philippines will navigate two of its most consequential relationships will be crucial to surviving any sort of escalation.

The South China Sea has been the backdrop for so many international conflicts that few remember the Declaration of Conduct which governs activity in the testy waters. Now, 25 years later under new circumstances, a new agreement may be able to help lighten tensions in the Sea - if it can get passed.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shares a party and similar voting base as his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, but the new Philippine president brings forth a more Western-biased foreign policy that will surely cause tensions to rise in the South China Sea region.

Marine protected areas are crucial for conserving blue carbon resources in coastal and deep-sea ecosystems, and these conservation efforts can play a crucial role in reaching multilateral treaties and mitigating conflict in areas such as the South China Sea.