Colby’s South China Sea Pledge Leaves Manila Caught in Three-Way Bind

The Philippines finds itself ensnared in a strategic trilemma after Washington’s latest reassurance tour, as US Undersecretary of Undersecretary of War Elbridge Colby lauded Manila as a ‘model ally’ while announcing joint coast guard patrols in the contested South China Sea. Speaking in Manila, Colby, a leading architect of the Trump administration’s ‘Strategy of Denial’, framed the Philippines as a paragon of ‘clear-headed pragmatism’, a nation ‘determined to strengthen its own capabilities to better defend itself’. The rhetoric, however, clashes with the reality of Manila’s growing dependence on Washington. The…

Keep reading with your free Financial Ports account

This story is part of FP Plus, the exclusive supplement of Financial Ports. Creating an account is free — and it unlocks CAMAL AI too.

Create free account I already have an account

No cost, no card required. You can delete your account whenever you like.