Philippine neutrality amid tensionsBy Lucio Blanco Pitlo IIIAs cross-Taiwan Strait tensions heat up, the Philippines expressed its desire to stay neutral on the flashpoint. The arena might also expand to the broader South China Sea, where Beijing, Taipei and Manila, among others, occupy contested geological features. Moreover, while cross-strait developments are disconcerting, they do not attain the same level of media coverage and public attention as the South China Sea. This is especially so if US assets that would respond to a Taiwan emergency sail from or fly from Philippine bases under the EDCA. Whether Manila’s neutrality holds and whether its view influences that of its Southeast Asian neighbors, only future events will tell.

Source: Taipei Times January 21, 2022 22:03 UTC