Manila subsequently lodged a case with an international tribunal challenging the legal basis of Beijing's claims to virtually all the South China Sea. The upcoming Philippine presidential election could cause some heartburn in Washington. Duerte's position on the South China Sea has been characteristically unconventional. Aquino has been more circumspect with China than his predecessor, who was accused of cutting a corrupt deal with Beijing over joint exploitation of resources in the South China Sea. But there's uncertainty about how the eventual election winner will navigate external relations during a period of high tensions with Beijing.

Source: ABC News May 07, 2016 01:15 UTC