Philippines is moving toward military cooperation with Taiwan, which could further destabilize the already tense dynamics in the South China Sea “Any attempt to expand military cooperation in areas surrounding Taiwan will be met with firm opposition,” a spokesperson from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China warned just days ago….
Philippines Opens New Luzon Strait Base to Bolster Deterrence Against China “We cannot afford to be blind in our own waters.” That was how one Philippine defense official reportedly framed it this week and honestly, that line hits hard. Because here’s the real question: What happens when the world’s most contested waters sit right at…
Philippines Opens New Luzon Strait Base to Bolster Deterrence Against China “We cannot afford to be blind in our own waters.” That was how one Philippine defense official reportedly framed it this week and honestly, that line hits hard. Because here’s the real question: What happens when the world’s most contested waters sit right at…
US to Deploy Advanced Missiles in Philippines Amid South China Sea Tensions “We will stand by our treaty commitments.” That line has been repeated so many times over the decades that it almost sounds routine. But this week, it hit differently. Because the United States isn’t just issuing statements. It’s preparing to deploy additional advanced…
Royal Australian Navy Warship Visits Subic for Joint Maritime Exercises with Philippine Navy “The South China Sea is not just water. It is a strategy. It is sovereignty. It is the future.” That line has been echoing quietly in defense circles for months now. And this week, it suddenly felt real. Because from 13–16 February…
Philippine Navy’s Top Warships Join Balikatan 2026 to Boost Regional Security Something feels different about Balikatan this year. For decades, the annual exercise between the Philippines and the United States was framed as routine alliance maintenance. Training cycles. Interoperability drills. Symbolic reassurance. Important, yes but predictable. Balikatan 2026 doesn’t feel predictable. It feels deliberate. With…
Can Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines Deter China? Can Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines Really Deter China? That’s the question sitting quietly behind almost every strategic conversation in East Asia right now. Not “can they defeat China.” Not “can they outspend China.” But can they deter it? Can three very different actors, one economic heavyweight,…
Japan’s Coastal Radar Transfer to the Philippines: Strategic Implications for Indo-Pacific Security “We will not stand alone.” That was the quiet but unmistakable message behind Tokyo’s latest move. This week, Japan formally transferred five coastal radar systems to the Philippines under its Official Security Assistance framework, a move that, on paper, costs about JP¥600 million….
Australia Boosts Philippine Defense, Complementing U.S. Partnership What if the most important military move in the South China Sea this year didn’t come from Washington but from Canberra? That’s the quiet headline sliding under the radar right now. In early 2026, as tensions simmer from Taiwan’s southern approaches down to the West Philippine Sea, Australia…
Marcos: A “Future-Ready” PH–US Alliance Evolving Beyond Defense Eighty years in, this alliance is no longer running on muscle memory. And President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. knows it. Standing at the milestone anniversaries, 80 years of Philippine–US diplomatic relations and 75 years of the Mutual Defense Treaty, Marcos didn’t sound nostalgic. He sounded forward-looking, almost impatient…
