Washington and Manila are set to hold their latest ‘2+2’ dialogue as the Philippines seeks to build more robust ties and uphold its interests in the South China Sea in the face of a ‘more aggressive’ China.
Philippines faces a lonely battle as China shores up cooperation with other claimant states and improving Sino-US relations puts pressure on Manila’s aggressiveness.
With China’s influence extending along India’s western and eastern flanks Delhi feels threatened but it needn’t. China wants peace and inclusivity; only India can decide if it does, too.