Tensions simmer near a shoal both China and the Philippines claim rfa.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rfa.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
In dialling back the possibility of more US bases and dialling up a commitment to diplomacy with China, Marcos is offering a path to de-escalation. In turn, Beijing could rein in its aggressive tactics in the South China Sea and explore genuine economic cooperation.
On April 2, 2024, renowned Filipino expert Richard Heydarian published an article in the Philippine media outlet Inquirer, titled "Second Thomas Shoal Crisis: A Duterte Legacy," stating that a "gentlemen's agreement" between the former Duterte administration and China not to fortify Philippine position in the Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Ayungin Shoal and Ren'ai Jiao in