The ASEAN Maritime Center proposal was already part of the maritime agenda at the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, but recent incidents near the Philippines
Cebu became the diplomatic center of Southeast Asia as the Philippines hosted the 48th ASEAN Summit on May 8 under its 2026 ASEAN chairship. Although
The northern Philippines has again become a focal point in regional security after recent missile drills brought together the Philippines, Japan, the United States and
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently urged ASEAN to activate the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA) as Middle East tensions unsettle energy markets. Marcos offered the
Amid rising friction in the West Philippine Sea and growing concern over Taiwan, this year’s Balikatan military drills looked less like a routine exercise and
The discovery of cyanide in bottles seized from Chinese boats operating near Ayungin Shoal has added a new and troubling dimension to tensions in the
The war in the Middle East is triggering a global energy crisis. With oil prices surging and supply routes disrupted, the Philippine government moved to
On April 10, Chinese President Xi Jinping met Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing, as Chinese warplanes flew near the island the same day.
The Philippines is dealing with a real energy squeeze driven by rising global oil prices and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, but the situation
In late March 2026, the Philippines and China resumed formal discussions under the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM), with energy cooperation explicitly on the table. The
