Trump's return puts Philippines in spotlight amid rising sea tensions
Fresh maritime laws in Philippines trigger heated response from China as Trump prepares for White House comeback. US-Philippines ties face new test with defense deals and eco-challenges ahead
Recent maritime rules in Philippines sparked Chinaʼs anger causing more sea-lane disputes (which started early this yr). After Ferdinand Marcos Jr signed these laws Beijing increased its patrols - claiming almost all South China Sea despite losing international case bout 8 yrs ago
The US-Philippines partnership got stronger under Biden with four new bases opening up for US forces: three near Taiwan and one facing disputed waters. Both nations did their biggest-ever joint drills this yr‚ with Washington putting bout $80-mil into military spots
The Philippines is the most prime piece of real estate from a military standpoint
Gilberto Teodoro‚ defense chief says Trump wont ask Manila to pay for protection like he might do with Taiwan. The US-Philippines-Japan group made plans for north Philippines growth with stuff like:
- Rail systems
- Port updates
- Farm business growth
Trumpʼs pick of Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz for top jobs shows heʼll keep strong Manila ties‚ but some problems exist. The ambassador warned bout 370k Filipino workers without papers to leave US before possible kick-out
Climate stuff looks rough too - Philippines gets hit 3-4 times harder than others by rising seas. Recent storms hit real bad killing 160 people; displacing millions. Government data shows bout 60% of folks live in flood-risk areas now - its gonna get worse by 2100
