West Philippine Sea: Transparency alone won’t deter China
The article argues that the Philippines should go beyond a transparency-only approach in the West Philippine Sea, citing the Marcos Jr. administration’s Comprehensive Archipelagic Defence Concept, which emphasises basing dispersion, ranged strike capabilities and the use of geography. It calls on Manila to deepen foreign military partnerships, coordinate messaging and actions around shared values, the national interest and its red lines, and work with partners and allies on digital regulations and tech accountability. It also urges the Philippines to use its 2026 chairmanship of ASEAN to lead discussions on the region’s normative gains, noting that ASEAN’s founding norms of consensus and non-interference reflected the realities of 1967.
Why it matters: It bears on Indo-Pacific security, where Manila’s attempt to convert transparency, military partnerships and ASEAN norms into deterrence shapes the region’s strategic balance.