Moving in a Different Direction
In the span of six months, the U.S.-Philippines relationship has gone from a 25-year highpoint to a period of worrisome uncertainty. At the center of […] More
Philippines
Keeping the Relationship Warm
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte rattled decades of foreign policy on October 20 with his announcement of a military and economic “separation” from the United States. […] More
Where is Duterte Leading the Philippines?
“You destroy my country, I’ll kill you,” Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte warned in a recent exclusive interview with Al Jazeera. His warning was directed at […] More
Dealing with a Prickly Ally
Since becoming President in June, Rodrigo Duterte has used his forceful personality to take Filipino policy in new directions. For Western allies like the U.S., […] More
The Critical First Hundred Days
President Rodrigo Duterte’s first hundred days will be some of the most critical for his vision of radical change. Over that period, Duterte demonstrated strong […] More
Why the U.S. Should Ratify the Law of the Sea Treaty
Although the United States participated in the negotiations that culminated in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which came into […] More
Philippines Must “Set the Tone” for Peaceful Resolution of China Dispute
Now that the Permanent Court of Arbitration has ruled in favor of the Philippines in its case against China over sovereignty in the South China […] More
Philippines v. China: Laying Down the Law of the Sea
As the deadline for the landmark international court ruling on the South China Sea territorial dispute draws near, a recent editorial in a Chinese state […] More
Possible Outcomes and What They Mean
Predictions are a tricky business, especially with something as complicated as the outcome of Manila’s arbitration case against Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea. […] More
What to Watch For
With a ruling imminent in the arbitration case initiated by the Philippines against China over claims in the South China Sea, officials around Asia are […] More
The Phenomenal Rise of Rodrigo Duterte to Power in the Philippines
On May 9, the Filipino nation chose “Tunay na Pagbabago” or radical change. Rodrigo Duterte, the pugnacious Mayor of Davao City, was elected as the […] More
Duterte in the hot seat
Foul-mouthed strongman, Rodrigo Duterte, declared victory in the Philippines’s presidential election this week after one of his rivals, Grace Poe, conceded to his insurmountable lead. […] More
China’s Latest Moves in the South China Sea
Beijing’s “Great Wall of Sand” in the South China Sea is likely to expand: a recent report in the South China Morning Post unveiled China’s […] More
The U.S. and the Philippines: Shoulder to Shoulder in the South China Sea
On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced a “…regular periodic presence [in the Philippines] of American forces,” something that has not occurred since […] More
A Toxic Relationship
Over the past decade, the Philippines has gradually shifted from an equi-balancing strategy vis-à-vis the United States and China in favor of a more explicit […] More
A Reinvigorated Strategic Alliance
The newly reinvigorated U.S. – Philippines alliance has assumed a central role in the developing regional strategic competition with China. Less than 25 years ago, […] More
Ambassador: US to Continue South China Sea Flights, Sail-Bys
The U.S. ambassador to the Philippines has stated that the United States will continue to exercise its “rights under international law to sail through international […] More