2 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Philippines' US security blanket muffling hopes of strategic autonomy
Since coming to power earlier this year, US President Donald Trump has broadly signalled a historic departure from America's traditional role in global affairs. Not only has the US decoupled from global institutions such as the
World Health Organization , it has disrupted international trade by adopting an aggressively protectionist stance through the imposition of massive tariffs on
foes and friends alike.
The same unorthodox approach has also characterised the second Trump administration's approach to its overseas military commitments. From
scaling back much-needed defence aid to Ukraine to
berating European allies on defence spending, the second Trump administration has ushered in a new era of American foreign policy. When it comes to Asia, however, the US has shown remarkable policy continuity.
This is most notable in the case of the Philippines, which has become a critical ally amid Washington's deepening rivalry with China. Far from abandoning Manila, the Trump administration and its legislative allies are
doubling down on defence aid to, and military cooperation with, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr's administration.
Aside from deploying
state-of-the-art weapons systems and establishing new military facilities in the Philippines, the Pentagon is also mulling the establishment of
a regional munitions hub in Subic Bay. Though no formal proposal has been submitted by the Trump administration yet, with the US Congress still reviewing the plan, top Philippine defence officials have welcomed greater US forward deployment presence in Asia.
Though greater defence assistance from Washington is critical to Manila's ability to protect its core interests in adjacent waters, it could come at the expense of the Philippines' efforts to
develop strategic autonomy
