https://www.scmp.com/rss/323462/feed Richard Javad Heydarian is an Asia-based academic, currently a Professorial Chairholder in Geopolitics at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. He is also author of, among others, “The Indo-Pacific: Trump, China and the New Struggle for Global Mastery”. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian “In an increasingly severe security environment, no single country can now protect its own peace and security alone,” declared Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last month, signalling a major shift in Tokyo’s defence posture. “Under the new system, we will strategically promote equipment transfers while making even more rigorous and cautious judgments on whether transfers are permissible,” she added, confirming long-running speculation that Tokyo would relax decades-old restrictions on... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352476/us-allies-asia-are-looking-build-middle-power-coalitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352476/us-allies-asia-are-looking-build-middle-power-coalitions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian The Iran war could provide an impetus for the Philippines and China to reach an agreement on disputed energy resources in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said recently. Marcos, the rotational chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, emphasised the need for a “reset” in relations with China given that regional states are confronting “very serious” economic and foreign policy restructuring. Marcos’ statements came shortly after the Philippine... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348291/how-us-war-iran-pushing-philippines-closer-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348291/how-us-war-iran-pushing-philippines-closer-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian At Davos, US President Donald Trump declared he had “always had a very good relationship with President Xi” Jinping, calling the Chinese leader “an incredible man”, “highly respected by everybody”. Trump also praised TikTok’s decision to transfer parts of its US business to a consortium of US investors, thanking Xi on social media. This broadly friendly rhetoric is likely to be a signal of Washington’s keen interest in finalising a trade deal with the world’s second-largest economy. Trump’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341461/trumps-power-politics-paving-way-g2-world-order-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341461/trumps-power-politics-paving-way-g2-world-order-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:30:11 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian America’s capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro in a special operation sent shock waves across the world. With characteristically bombastic rhetoric, US President Donald Trump hailed Operation Absolute Resolve as “an assault like people have not seen since World War II” and “one of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might” in history. His deputies were quick to add that the operation also showed the long arm of the US justice system by accusing... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3339093/us-action-venezuela-fuels-asias-fears-collapsing-rules-based-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3339093/us-action-venezuela-fuels-asias-fears-collapsing-rules-based-order?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:30:11 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian “Some of his ideas really are the same ideas that I have,” US President Donald Trump declared while hosting New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the Oval Office. “I want him to do a great job, and we’ll help him do a great job,” he added, marking a dramatic turnabout after months of attacking Mamdani as a “communist lunatic” endangering Trump’s beloved city. In another reversal, Trump also cleared the release of the Epstein files after months of stiff resistance in the face of growing... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3334461/trumps-america-still-needs-its-allies-manage-china-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3334461/trumps-america-still-needs-its-allies-manage-china-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:30:10 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian The Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur witnessed major geopolitical developments, including a peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia presided over by US President Donald Trump. Eager to mend recently strained relations with Washington, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, chairman of the regional body this year, also signed a new trade deal with the United States. However, one of the most crucial meetings took place on the sidelines of the summit. Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, met his... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3332345/why-china-need-not-fear-us-led-squad-evolving-asian-nato?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3332345/why-china-need-not-fear-us-led-squad-evolving-asian-nato?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian “We do not need to chase [after other countries], we are the road,” said President Xi Jinping after inaugurating a major scientific project in Sanya, Hainan province, in 2018. Xi urged scientists to push the boundaries of technological development. Xi’s bold statement not only reflected his boundless confidence in China’s scientific community but also the wisdom of the “Made in China 2025” national economic strategy, which has produced nothing less than a technological renaissance. Thanks to a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330495/chinas-development-model-reverberating-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330495/chinas-development-model-reverberating-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian In a fast and furious year of devastating wars and high-stakes diplomacy, the historic meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands out as a potential harbinger of a new global order. In his first visit to China in seven years, Modi agreed with Xi that Asia’s two powers should be “partners” rather than “rivals”, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin. Modi stressed that “their differences should not turn into... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3328544/why-india-hedging-its-bets-another-china-charm-offensive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3328544/why-india-hedging-its-bets-another-china-charm-offensive?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian “We will move forwards together,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared in Mexico, where he pushed for a new era of bilateral cooperation between America’s two immediate neighbours. Carney, who met Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, added: “I have full confidence, and so does the president, that we can find the adjustments needed to reinforce competition and competitiveness in our region.” This was the first visit in eight years by a Canadian leader to Mexico City, underscoring the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3326508/us-allies-are-shaping-their-own-world-trumps-america-retreats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3326508/us-allies-are-shaping-their-own-world-trumps-america-retreats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, including the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, have exposed the fragility of the US-led international order and Western double standards like never before. It’s hard to understate the gravity of the situation, underscoring the need for urgent international intervention. Multiple Israeli scholars, human rights organisations and political leaders are publicly warning of unprecedented atrocities. Even former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, a past member of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3321664/how-china-could-shape-future-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3321664/how-china-could-shape-future-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian Since coming to power earlier this year, US President Donald Trump has broadly signalled a historic departure from America’s traditional role in global affairs. Not only has the US decoupled from global institutions such as the World Health Organization, it has disrupted international trade by adopting an aggressively protectionist stance through the imposition of massive tariffs on foes and friends alike. The same unorthodox approach has also characterised the second Trump administration’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3317559/philippines-us-security-blanket-muffling-hopes-strategic-autonomy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3317559/philippines-us-security-blanket-muffling-hopes-strategic-autonomy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Jul 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian Just four months ago, US President Donald Trump was lecturing a surprised Volodymyr Zelensky on how the Ukrainian leader was “not winning” because he did not “have the cards”. As commander-in-chief of a superpower, Trump unabashedly brandished his geopolitical capital – apparently more interested in negotiating agreements with traditional US rivals such as Russia and Iran to bolster his “art of the deal” credentials. Today, the strategic picture looks dramatically different. Following the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3314829/if-trump-has-all-cards-why-us-such-strategic-quagmire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3314829/if-trump-has-all-cards-why-us-such-strategic-quagmire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian On the cusp of invading Greece with his army, the Persian Emperor Xerxes was confronted by his chief counsel, Artabanus, who cautioned against unforeseen threats and logistical difficulties in his campaign. However, Xerxes shunned any operational hand-wringing, according to historian John Lewis Gaddis’ book On Grand Strategy, arguing that “big things are won by big dangers”. More than 2,000 years after Xerxes’ ill-fated campaign, which helped to unify once-disparate Greek city states into a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3312647/sound-strategy-or-not-trumps-tariffs-are-doomed-poor-execution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3312647/sound-strategy-or-not-trumps-tariffs-are-doomed-poor-execution?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Jun 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian French President Emmanuel Macron is set to become the first European leader to deliver the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore later this month. Arguably Asia’s most influential security forum, the dialogue has regularly hosted top defence and foreign policy officials and experts from around the world to discuss pressing geopolitical challenges and enhance cooperation among like-minded powers. Macron is set to join a storied roster of world leaders to deliver keynote... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3310791/why-europe-and-asean-are-aligning-hedge-against-us-china-dependence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3310791/why-europe-and-asean-are-aligning-hedge-against-us-china-dependence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 May 2025 12:30:08 +0000 During his recent tour of Southeast Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned against “the law of the jungle” and spoke of the shared “Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness”. In a world shocked by Trump’s tariffs, his message of solidarity and the promise of a stable and certain Asia is resonating – and not just in the region. In Malaysia, Xi vowed that “in the face of shocks to the current international order and economic globalisation, our two nations will stand united... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3307961/trump-rides-roughshod-over-trade-china-ready-pick-pieces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3307961/trump-rides-roughshod-over-trade-china-ready-pick-pieces?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Apr 2025 21:30:07 +0000 “Deterrence is necessary around the world, but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the communist Chinese and that friends need to stand shoulder to shoulder to deter conflict, to ensure that there’s free navigation,” US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on his recent visit to Manila, where he also announced the deployment of new strategic weapons systems for annual bilateral military exercises. “Whether you call it the South China Sea or the West... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3304675/first-line-status-offers-philippines-little-shelter-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3304675/first-line-status-offers-philippines-little-shelter-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Shortly after the dramatic diplomatic showdown between the Trump administration and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, the Philippines’ ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez warned: “We have to all be ready for that type of situation … It may be some other president in the future. But at the end of the day, each country now has to be ready to be able to beef up its defence, beef up its economic security.” The world watched as President Donald Trump publicly berated a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3301885/philippines-faces-tricky-path-becoming-less-reliant-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3301885/philippines-faces-tricky-path-becoming-less-reliant-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Mar 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Europe is urgently banding together in response to Trump’s administration in America. Last week, Germany’s likely next leader, Friedrich Merz, fresh from election victory, declared it his “absolute priority” “to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA”. If that were not dramatic enough, the presumptive leader of Europe’s largest economy also talked about the prospect of establishing “an independent European defence... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3300632/why-us-allies-europe-and-asia-are-de-risking-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3300632/why-us-allies-europe-and-asia-are-de-risking-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:30:09 +0000 “Let’s make a deal with China,” declared Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr in response to Beijing’s concerns over the deployment of advanced US weapons systems to Philippine military facilities. “Stop claiming our territory, stop harassing our fishermen and let them have a living, stop ramming our boats, stop water-cannoning our people, stop firing lasers at us, and stop your aggressive and coercive behaviour, and I’ll return the Typhon missiles,” he added, referring to the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3298079/philippines-must-become-more-self-reliant-amid-fears-us-abandonment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3298079/philippines-must-become-more-self-reliant-amid-fears-us-abandonment?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Feb 2025 01:30:09 +0000 “From this moment on, America’s decline is over,” declared US President Donald Trump in his inauguration address, underscoring his long-held belief that only he can save America. Surrounded by tech titans and former presidents, he adopted a relatively subdued tone even as he remained faithful to his “Make America Great Again” talking points. “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier,” he said as a newly implemented ceasefire in Gaza paused the devastating 15-month conflict.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3296029/truly-make-america-great-again-trump-must-succeed-two-things?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3296029/truly-make-america-great-again-trump-must-succeed-two-things?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Fresh into the new year, Malacanang Palace publicised a major decision by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to effectively purge key members of the Duterte family from the country’s most sensitive decision-making body. Both vice-president Sara Duterte-Carpio and former president Rodrigo Duterte were removed from the country’s National Security Council under an executive order signed on December 30. The government justified the decision based on the need to guarantee that the council... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3293854/how-philippines-managing-cold-war-abroad-and-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3293854/how-philippines-managing-cold-war-abroad-and-home?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:30:07 +0000 “We require a commitment from these countries that they will neither create a new Brics currency nor back any other currency to replace the mighty US dollar, or they will face 100 per cent tariffs and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful US economy,” Donald Trump warned late last month, referring to a push by some members of the grouping to create a new payment system for their expanding trade. But the US president-elect’s diatribe seemed a tad overdramatic. For a start,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3292754/trumps-threats-wont-hold-back-brics-push-de-dollarise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3292754/trumps-threats-wont-hold-back-brics-push-de-dollarise?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Dec 2024 12:30:08 +0000 “That’s very concerning. Any intrusion into the West Philippine Sea, of our [exclusive economic zone], of our baselines, is very worrisome,” said Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, following reports of a Russian submarine’s presence within Philippine-claimed waters. Philippine navy spokesperson Roy Vincent Trinidad shared that officials in Manila were “surprised” because the submarine was “very unique”. The Russian submarine in question is believed to have been the kilo-class,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3289858/why-russia-finding-favour-southeast-asia-once-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3289858/why-russia-finding-favour-southeast-asia-once-again?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Dec 2024 21:30:08 +0000 “He is friends with my mother. He knew my mother very well. He asked about her. ‘How is Imelda?” I told him that she also sends her greetings,” Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said when asked about his congratulatory phone call with US president-elect Donald Trump. The Filipino leader was referring to his mother, former first lady Imelda Marcos, who was a fixture in New York society and a close friend of Trump’s in the late 20th century. The Marcoses even owned a Trump building in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3288062/why-philippines-must-stand-its-ground-against-friend-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3288062/why-philippines-must-stand-its-ground-against-friend-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Nov 2024 21:30:08 +0000 “I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars,” declared US president-elect Donald Trump in his victory speech after a stunning comeback in the presidential election. “We had no wars [under my administration]. Except we defeated Isis, we defeated Isis in record time,” he claimed, despite evidence to the contrary. Nonetheless, two major conflicts in recent times, namely in Ukraine and Gaza, emerged on outgoing US President Joseph Biden’s watch. Trump has criticised past Republican... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3286085/why-us-influence-southeast-asia-could-decline-under-trump-20?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3286085/why-us-influence-southeast-asia-could-decline-under-trump-20?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Nov 2024 21:30:08 +0000 Shortly after winning the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden vowed to “restore the soul of America, to rebuild the backbone of this nation, and to make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home”. In the succeeding months, he presented a new global vision for the United States after four years of divisive politics and unilateralist foreign policy under Donald Trump. In a speech before US diplomats at the Harry S Truman building in 2o21, Biden struck a confident tone... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3283806/bidens-middle-east-failures-leave-door-open-chinese-advances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3283806/bidens-middle-east-failures-leave-door-open-chinese-advances?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Oct 2024 21:30:08 +0000 “We strongly condemned the violent and illegal actions of Chinese maritime authorities against Vietnamese fishermen near the Paracel Islands on September 29,” the Philippine National Security Council said in a statement on October 4 following yet another incident in the South China Sea. As many as 40 Chinese law enforcers reportedly used force against Vietnamese fishermen near the disputed Paracel Islands – which China calls the Xisha Islands and Vietnam the Hoang Sa Islands – in the northern... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3281677/how-south-china-sea-disputes-are-uniting-asean-states?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3281677/how-south-china-sea-disputes-are-uniting-asean-states?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Oct 2024 21:30:07 +0000 “China continues to behave aggressively, testing us all across the region, and it’s true in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, South China, South Asia and the Taiwan [Strait],” outgoing US President Joe Biden was recorded on a hot mic telling Quad leaders during a farewell summit in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. His guests from Japan, Australia and India, however, were careful not to portray the gathering as a China-bashing forum but instead as a constructive avenue for global... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3280219/why-quad-faces-uncertain-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3280219/why-quad-faces-uncertain-future?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Sep 2024 12:30:08 +0000 “Every option between the two sovereign nations in terms of our mutual defence, escort of one vessel to the other, is an entirely reasonable option within our Mutual Defence Treaty, among this close alliance between the two of us” said the US Indo-Pacific Command chief, Samuel Paparo, during a recent trip to Manila amid rising tensions in the South China Sea. “We certainly have prepared a range of options and [we stand] ready, if so called, after consultations in accordance with the treaty, to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3278438/philippines-must-think-fast-handle-south-china-sea-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3278438/philippines-must-think-fast-handle-south-china-sea-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Sep 2024 21:30:09 +0000 “[H]eads will roll,” Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr warned after mayor-turned-fugitive Alice Guo fled the country, evading authorities while facing an arrest warrant over multiple charges related to involvement with criminal syndicates. Guo’s controversial case came to light following several high-profile hearings by the Philippine Senate which uncovered doubts over her nationality. Philippine law enforcement authorities had earlier linked her to a Chinese online casino, allegedly... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3275938/how-china-became-major-policy-issue-philippines-midterm-elections?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3275938/how-china-became-major-policy-issue-philippines-midterm-elections?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Aug 2024 12:30:08 +0000 “I think today is genuinely historic. This is the first time that the Philippines has hosted our 2+2 [meeting],” declared United States secretary of state Antony Blinken during his meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr in Manila. During the annual 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin also joined in, emphasising how the two nations are “more than allies, we’re family” and that Washington and Manila “have common interests [and] common values”. This was the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3274179/days-philippines-dependence-us-are-numbered?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3274179/days-philippines-dependence-us-are-numbered?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Aug 2024 21:30:08 +0000 “I revere this office, but I love my country more,” said outgoing US President Joe Biden after abandoning his re-election bid. “So I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That’s the best way to unite our nation.” No rivals were named but Biden made clear his excruciating decision was part of a bigger struggle to prevent Donald Trump’s return to the White House. His decision was a relief for many Americans, including fellow Democrats and long-time political... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3271907/world-will-look-back-us-foreign-policy-under-biden-nostalgia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3271907/world-will-look-back-us-foreign-policy-under-biden-nostalgia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2024 21:30:11 +0000 Soon after his landslide victory in 2022, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr vowed not to allow “a single millimetre” of the nation’s coastal rights to be “trampled upon”. Crucially, he invoked the “very important” 2016 Hague ruling which rejected the bulk of China’s expansive claims over the South China Sea. “We will use it to continue to assert our territorial rights. It is not a claim. It is already our territorial right,” he said, emphasising the final and binding nature of the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3269978/south-china-sea-marcos-has-resisted-drastic-moves-so-far-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3269978/south-china-sea-marcos-has-resisted-drastic-moves-so-far-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jul 2024 21:30:09 +0000 Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is busy playing down the risks of a major conflict in the South China Sea after yet another dangerous clash, this time with axe-wielding Chinese maritime forces that left injuries, including one Filipino soldier who lost his thumb. “We are not in the business to instigate wars,” Marcos Jnr told troops at a military base in Palawan, which embraces the South China Sea. “We refuse to play by the rules that force us to choose sides in a great power... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3268145/doubts-about-us-behind-marcos-downplay-latest-south-china-sea-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3268145/doubts-about-us-behind-marcos-downplay-latest-south-china-sea-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jun 2024 21:30:09 +0000 Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is busy playing down the risks of a major conflict in the South China Sea after yet another dangerous clash, this time with axe-wielding Chinese maritime forces that left injuries, including one Filipino soldier who lost his thumb. “We are not in the business to instigate wars,” Marcos Jnr told troops at a military base in Palawan, which embraces the South China Sea. “We refuse to play by the rules that force us to choose sides in a great power... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3268225/doubts-about-us-behind-marcos-downplay-latest-south-china-sea-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3268225/doubts-about-us-behind-marcos-downplay-latest-south-china-sea-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jun 2024 06:30:09 +0000 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently talked down the Philippine approach to disputes with China in the South China Sea and talked up Malaysia’s “more aggressive way of diplomatic engagement” as being more successful. With Malaysia set to chair Asean next year, Anwar’s statement carried immense strategic significance. Speaking at the 37th Asia-Pacific Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month, Anwar admitted that Malaysia and China had also faced “some very serious issues” but... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3266516/asean-all-adrift-over-south-china-sea-consensus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3266516/asean-all-adrift-over-south-china-sea-consensus?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jun 2024 21:30:09 +0000 Raising tensions in the South China Sea is “the last thing we would like”, said Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr recently, when pressed on whether Manila would adopt more aggressive tactics, such as the water cannons used by the Chinese. “And that [using water cannons] will certainly do that,” he said, dismissing the idea. In recent months, Chinese maritime forces have repeatedly aimed water cannons at Philippine resupply and patrol missions in the disputed South China Sea, damaging... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3263847/south-china-sea-beijing-can-ill-afford-be-seen-bully?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3263847/south-china-sea-beijing-can-ill-afford-be-seen-bully?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 May 2024 21:30:08 +0000 “History has repeatedly proven that any conflict can ultimately be resolved only through negotiation,” President Xi Jinping said during his visit to Europe, the first in five years. Carrying a message of peace and cooperation to Paris, he spoke of ongoing conflicts, notably Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which he described as a “tragedy” and “a test of human conscience”. With the Summer Olympics swiftly approaching, Xi underscored China’s willingness to work with France “to take the Paris... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3262034/how-europe-targeting-asia-while-tiptoeing-around-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3262034/how-europe-targeting-asia-while-tiptoeing-around-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 May 2024 22:30:27 +0000 Last week, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said he had no plans to “create any more [military] bases or give [Americans] access to any more bases”. Last year, Manila granted US troops access to four military bases, in addition to five existing locations under the countries’ Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), signed in 2014. The timing of his comments were telling. Marcos Jnr had just returned from a high-profile White House visit for the inaugural Japan-Philippines-US... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3259529/south-china-sea-doesnt-have-define-sino-philippine-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3259529/south-china-sea-doesnt-have-define-sino-philippine-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Apr 2024 21:30:26 +0000 The historic Japan-Philippine-US summit this week will coincide with a significant upgrade in military cooperation among the three nations. The US and Japan are set to upgrade their alliance to deepen military cooperation amid new global geopolitical uncertainties. Meanwhile, the Philippines and Japan are set to sign a reciprocal access agreement, which would facilitate expanded joint drills and potentially pave the way for a large-scale deployment of the Japan Self-Defence Forces to Philippine... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3258216/can-us-philippine-japanese-military-ties-really-protect-regional-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3258216/can-us-philippine-japanese-military-ties-really-protect-regional-security?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Apr 2024 01:30:20 +0000 “We want to do whatever we can to help settle tensions in a peaceful manner,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said of the South China Sea territorial disputes while standing next to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. “This is about adhering to international law, ensuring the freedom of navigation. We are working to ensure that the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is being adhered to by all its parties,” Scholz added, emphasising the utmost importance of de-escalation and the code of... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3256642/how-germany-reshaping-world-era-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3256642/how-germany-reshaping-world-era-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:30:17 +0000 “The Special Summit marks a profound milestone in the partnership between Asean and Australia,” the leaders of Australia and Southeast Asian nations declared during their gathering in Melbourne to commemorate the 50th year of bilateral relations. The gathering was both wide-ranging and forward-looking. Both sides committed to long-term strategic partnership on a whole host of issues, including infrastructure connectivity, green energy transition, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3254684/australia-asean-summit-exposed-more-desire-economic-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3254684/australia-asean-summit-exposed-more-desire-economic-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:30:26 +0000 “Japan is the world’s third-largest economy and has consistently sought to bring about peace and prosperity in the region since the end of the second world war,” said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the 2022 Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defence summit. “Accordingly, the responsibility Japan must fulfil is heavy.” “We will advance the fundamental reinforcement of Japan’s defence capabilities in tandem with reinforcing the Japan-US alliance and strengthening our security cooperation with... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3252863/stuck-between-china-and-us-flailing-japan-needs-grand-new-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3252863/stuck-between-china-and-us-flailing-japan-needs-grand-new-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Feb 2024 21:30:18 +0000 “The Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades,” US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said shortly before the latest outbreak of conflict there. In fairness to Sullivan, he had reason to be optimistic. After all, the United States had gradually restored frayed ties with Saudi Arabia, engineered peace deals between Israel and several Arab nations, and had largely maintained a cold peace with Iran, its chief regional adversary. The implicit argument was that the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3251004/why-middle-east-quagmire-could-be-key-easing-us-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3251004/why-middle-east-quagmire-could-be-key-easing-us-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Feb 2024 21:30:14 +0000 In the latest sign of increasing Sino-Philippine tensions, the Philippine defence secretary has hit out at Beijing for criticising President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s congratulating of Taiwan’s newly elected leader. “It is unfortunate that [China’s] ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson stooped to such low and gutter-level talk,” Gilbert Teodoro said, accusing Beijing of “resorting to insulting our president and the Filipino nation”. This was in response to the ministry warning that Manila... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3248946/gutter-talk-manila-overcorrecting-its-china-policy-post-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3248946/gutter-talk-manila-overcorrecting-its-china-policy-post-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jan 2024 21:30:17 +0000 Just before Indonesia’s chairmanship of Asean ended, it mobilised the region’s foreign ministers for an unusual diplomatic act. On December 30, they issued a stand-alone statement on the South China Sea, amid escalating tensions, particularly between the Philippines and China. Expressing “concern”, the statement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations called on rival claimant states to “exercise self-restraint” and “avoid actions that may further complicate the situation”. Crucially, the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3247990/why-philippines-will-struggle-forge-south-china-sea-alliance-vietnam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3247990/why-philippines-will-struggle-forge-south-china-sea-alliance-vietnam?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jan 2024 21:30:12 +0000 “We have to do something that we have not done before. We have to come up with a new concept, a new principle, a new idea,” Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said in response to escalating tensions in the South China Sea. “We do not want to go to the point where there are incidents that might cause an actual violent conflict. Maybe from a mistake or a misunderstanding, and these things happen all the time,” he added, emphasising the need for nothing less than a “paradigm shift” in the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3246254/taiwan-us-elections-and-south-china-sea-tensions-could-make-2024-even-more-geopolitically-perilous?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3246254/taiwan-us-elections-and-south-china-sea-tensions-could-make-2024-even-more-geopolitically-perilous?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Dec 2023 21:30:16 +0000 “[Vietnam] supports Japan playing a more important and active role in the Indo-Pacific and Asia-Pacific,” Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong said during a historic speech before Japan’s parliament in late November. After a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the two countries upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, vowing to enhance cooperation in all key dimensions, including maritime security and national defence. Days earlier, Thuong was also on a charm... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3244414/golden-era-china-vietnam-relations-hand-never-mind-west?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3244414/golden-era-china-vietnam-relations-hand-never-mind-west?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Dec 2023 21:30:10 +0000 “We would like to strengthen our cooperation with the Philippines to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said during his visit to Manila this month. Describing the Philippines as an “irreplaceable partner”, Kishida called for tighter security ties among like-minded nations, most notably an emerging trilateral cooperation among Japan, the Philippines and the United States. Kishida visited Malaysia soon after,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3242965/japans-push-anti-china-security-alliance-hits-rough-waters-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3242965/japans-push-anti-china-security-alliance-hits-rough-waters-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Nov 2023 21:30:12 +0000 “We’re going to continue to preserve and pursue high-level diplomacy with [China] in both directions to keep the lines of communication open,” US President Joe Biden said following his much-anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in San Francisco. In turn, Xi underscored Beijing’s commitment to “stable, healthy and sustainable” ties with Washington. Undoubtedly, this was the most anticipated and consequential... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3241887/biden-xi-meeting-cant-paper-over-cracks-us-china-relationship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3241887/biden-xi-meeting-cant-paper-over-cracks-us-china-relationship?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Nov 2023 21:30:08 +0000