Philippines Urges ‘Transparent and Sincere Engagement’ in US-China ‘Strategic Rivalry’

A U.S. Navy hovercraft speeds past the USS Wasp, a multipurpose amphibious assault ship, during the amphibious landing exercises as part of the annual joint U.S.–Philippines military exercise on the shores of San Antonio town, facing the South China sea, Zambales Province in the Philippines, on April 11, 2019. Ted Aljibe/AFP via Getty Images

The Philippines has called for a commitment to dialogue in the “strategic rivalry” between the United States and China, as any escalation of tensions over Taiwan could lead to “adverse repercussions” for the entire Indo-Pacific region.

Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) forum in Washington on Monday, Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo described the U.S.-China rivalry as “a defining feature of this regional ecosystem.”