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Power Play
It's Marcos' turn to walk the South China Sea tightrope
How the new Philippine president uses the leverage given to the country by the arbitral tribunal ruling is not just a measure of domestic sentiment but also his response to the tug-of-war between the US and China.
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Mr Marcos Jr (above) may be less accommodating to China over the South China Sea than Mr Duterte was in his early days.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Last week marked the sixth anniversary of the July 12, 2016 international arbitral tribunal ruling on the South China Sea, a landmark case brought by the Philippines against China over the validity of Beijing's sweeping claims to the disputed waters.
Among other things, the tribunal ruled that China's argument of historic rights - used to buttress its claim to large parts of the strategic waterway and its resources - was invalid under international law. The verdict was a resounding legal victory for the Philippines, but one that China, which questioned the jurisdiction of the tribunal, rejected as null and void.
