The News
The US pledged $500 million in military aid to boost the Philippines’ defense in the face of Beijing’s aggression in the South China Sea. The “unprecedented” investment was Washington’s “clear message of support” to the Philippines, the US defense secretary said during meetings in Manila, and comes at an especially fraught time, The New York Times wrote: China has ramped up its hostile maritime actions, while the US’ uncertain political landscape is making Asian leaders nervous.
The Biden administration’s embrace of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was described by a Manila analyst as “unprecedented love-bombing,” illustrating Washington’s anxiety to counter China in the region, Reuters reported last year. China recently said that it did not take kindly to “third parties” meddling in regional maritime tensions.