U.S.‐Philippines Security Ties: Building New Foundations?

Abstract

How are regional actors affected by the decline of the U.S.-led security network and the increasing role of China in Asia? These nuances surface in the Philippines' role in the South China Sea. We demonstrate that the Philippines is pursuing order-building initiatives at the multilateral and bilateral levels. First, we focus on the incidents in the South China Sea and the multilateral attempts at addressing the crisis. Second, we posit that the shortcomings of regional solutions necessitate Manila strengthening its relations with the United States. Hence, reinvigorating the U.S.-Philippines alliance is a critical hedging strategy for the Philippines to ensure its security and win support for its own visions of regional order. The Philippines may indeed be building new foundations, but their sustainability depends on Manila and its regional neighbors gradually shifting policy debates and behavior from nationalist strategies to the applicability of international law and stability in East Asia.