The Clash of U.S. and Chinese Geostrategic Interests in Southeast Asia, Using the Philippines as an Example

Abstract

In recent years, the geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China has intensified, making it difficult for Southeast Asian countries to balance their positions. The region is an important player in the geostrategic plans of both the United States and China, and the foreign policies of ASEAN member states deserve close attention. As an ally of Washington and given its strategic location, the Philippines’ relations with the major powers are also key in this regard, especially as its foreign policy orientation has changed to adapt to geostrategic realities after 2016 under the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. This paper briefly summarises the key elements of the Duterte administration’s geopolitical balancing act and then assesses the successes of Duterte’s ‘independent foreign policy,” while also presenting the foreign policy strategy of Ferdinand Marcos Jr.