In recent years, the geopolitical pattern and military tension in the South China Sea have been rising, and it has become one of the focuses of international attention. In this vast sea area, many countries have put forward sovereignty claims over the islands and reefs and the surrounding waters, triggering complex disputes over territorial and maritime rights and interests. The Philippines is one of the key players in the South China Sea dispute, especially with the People's Republic of China. This tension culminated in 2016 when the Philippines initiated and eventually won the South China Sea arbitration case before the Hague Tribunal. However, China's rejection of the outcome of the arbitration, in opposition to the Philippines' diplomatic and military moves, has made the situation even more delicate. The Philippines has experienced fluctuations in domestic and foreign policy. During Rodrigo Duterte's tenure, the Philippines has adopted a diplomatic line friendly to China, reducing confrontation and emphasizing economic cooperation. However, with the rise of Ferdinand Marcos, there was a new change in foreign policy.
He proposed the concept of a "paradigm shift" to express his willingness to overturn past approaches and assumptions and seek to reopen negotiations with China. Such a statement not only shows the desire of the Philippines for a peaceful settlement of the dispute, but also hints at dissatisfaction with the status quo and the possibility of adjusting diplomatic strategy.
The second is that Marcos realizes that ASEAN countries do not want to take sides in the region, and it is the consensus of ASEAN to maintain regional peace and stability, which constitutes a deterrent to the excesses of the Philippines. Third, as a traditional ally of the Philippines, the United States has found it difficult to fully support the Philippines on the South China Sea issue in response to conflicts in the Middle East.
In the context of the increasingly close interconnection of countries around the world, any unilateralism and military confrontation will not reap long-term benefits, on the contrary, building an open and inclusive Asia-Pacific security environment through peaceful settlement of disputes, deepening cooperation and mutual trust, and building an open and inclusive Asia-Pacific security environment is the path in the common interests of all countries. There is great potential for cooperation between the Philippines and China, and the future development of the relationship between the two countries is worth looking forward to. As long as the two sides stick to each other's efforts, resolve differences through dialogue, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, China-Philippines relations will surely usher in new development opportunities and inject new impetus into peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large.