Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — When it comes to claiming the Philippines’ right to the South China Sea, law expert Jay Batongbacal believes now is a good time as any. This is contrary to President Duterte’s statement that he will assert the United Nations arbitral ruling against China “when the minerals are already being siphoned […]

Fishermen drive a boat next to fishing ships docked at a port to shelter from Typhoon Wutip in Sanya, Hainan province September 29, 2013. Picture taken September 29, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer Fishermen drive a boat next to fishing ships docked at a port to shelter from Typhoon Wutip in Sanya, Hainan province September 29, 2013. Picture […]

The littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) conducts combined presence operations in the South China Sea with the guided missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82) in 2015. File Photo by US Navy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joe Bishop/Handout BEIJING – China will never allow anyone to “make a great fuss” about its […]

SHIFT IN THINKING The seizing by Chinese sailors of a US underwater surveillance drone in the South China Sea speaks to the kind of challenge President-elect Trump is likely to face early in his administration. DECEMBER 18, 2016 PARIS—It is not customary to steal an item from someone and then give it back as a […]

DECEMBER 30, 2016 BEIJING—In East Asia, anxiety about what 2017 holds in store is running as high as anywhere in the world. Here’s a look at some of the stories to keep an eye on as the year unfolds: Q. What will happen at the 19th National Party Congress in China? Every five years, the […]

Donald Trump’s unexpected victory has not only shocked the world but is also likely to shake up US foreign policy. While Trump’s unpredictability, campaign rhetoric and unclear foreign policy stance have left analysts and policymakers confused, there are enough hints that indicate significant change in US foreign policy towards Southeast Asia. US Foreign Policy under […]

Even as many yearn for the days when America’s influence kept geopolitics stable in the region, this may go down in history as the year when Asia no longer stood to attention when a US president cleared his throat. In the 1942 Hollywood classic Casablanca, Major Strasser of the Third Reich tells the French police […]

Just when the South China Sea seemed to have quietened down, two key players, China and the United States, have embarked on a series of provocative gestures. But the distrust between these major powers in the South China Sea inhibits their ability to deal with more serious issues in the region and the world at […]

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte’s foreign policy remains “directionless” six months into his administration, as the Philippines is left with few options to assert its claim in the South China Sea, a former diplomat said. It was “naive” of Duterte to warm up to China while “taking for granted” traditional Western allies, said retired Ambassador […]

Editor’s Note: This article is based in part on the author’s recent report for the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, Countering China’s Adventurism in the South China Sea: Strategy Options for the Trump Administration. The policy of the United States and its close allies in the South China Sea has failed. Repeated statements of […]