South China Sea: Hanoi and Manila’s strategies share one weakness
Vietnam and the Philippines are often portrayed as taking different approaches to the South China Sea disputes, but the article states that their actions this year show convergence, with both combining diplomatic and legal measures with outpost upgrades and expanded security cooperation. Vietnam protested China's land reclamation at Antelope Reef in March 2026 without direct reference to China, reaffirmed UNCLOS as the basis for maritime entitlements, and accelerated outpost upgrades across 18 reefs in the Spratly Islands. The Philippines marked the tenth anniversary of the 2016 arbitral award, filed 39 diplomatic protests against China up to September, extended the runway on Thitu Island and expanded defence cooperation with the United States.
Why it matters: The shared dependence of Hanoi and Manila on China-led clean energy supply chains constrains their strategic autonomy, linking South China Sea positioning to geoeconomics and supply-chain security.