US Shapes Philippines into Southeast Asia’s “Ukraine”

Update on growing tensions between China and the US in Asia-Pacific…

– US is expanding its military footprint in its former colony of the Philippines in Southeast Asia; – The US is using ordinary maritime disputes as a pretext for inserting itself into the region & escalating the disputes into a regional or global crisis;

– The Philippines’ government is canceling joint infrastructure projects with China while signing new basing agreements with the US despite China begin the Philippines’ largest and most important trading partner;

– As with Ukraine in Eastern Europe, the Philippines is attempting to convince the public that the West offers better opportunities when in reality the country is simply being used as a disposable battering ram;

– Philippine leadership has been shaped by decades of US political interference including programs like Fulbright and YSEALI which indoctrinate youth and move them into positions of influence through NED-funded programs;

References:

NEO – US Shapes Philippines into Southeast Asia’s “Ukraine” (November 2, 2023):
https://journal-neo.su/2023/11/02/us-…

Politico – Biden will meet Xi Jinping in coming weeks, White House says (October 31, 2023):
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10…

BBC – South China Sea: Why the Philippines and China are on a collision course (October 23, 2023):
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-6…

AP – US renews warning it will defend treaty ally Philippines after Chinese ships rammed Manila vessels (October 23, 2023):
https://apnews.com/article/south-chin…

Benar News (US government-funded) – Philippines drops funding deal with China for 3 railway projects (October 26, 2023):
https://www.benarnews.org/english/new…

Benar News – About Benar News (funding via United States Agency for Global Media – USAGM):
https://www.benarnews.org/english/abo…

CSIS – A New Era in the U.S.-Philippines Alliance: A Discussion with Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo (April 11, 2023):
https://www.youtube.com/live/ygOIyOAf…

Fulbright – What is the Fulbright U.S. Student Program:
https://us.fulbrightonline.org/about/…

Fulbright – Maria Ressa:
https://www.fulbrightprogram.org/mari…

US State Department, Office of the HIstorian – The Philippine-American War, 1899–1902:
https://history.state.gov/milestones/…

Harvard University’s Atlas of Economic Complexity – Philippines Trade Partners 2021:
https://atlas.cid.harvard.edu/explore…

Washington Post – U.S. reaches military base access agreement in the Philippines (February 1, 2023):
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation…

Reuters – Exclusive: U.S military in talks to develop port in Philippines facing Taiwan (August 2023):
https://www.reuters.com/world/us-mili…

Nikkei Asia – Malaysia burns illegal fishing boats to send a message (2017):
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Mala…

Bloomberg – A Rusting Shipwreck Becomes a Flashpoint in the South China Sea (November 7, 2023):
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/art…

VOA – Japan, Philippines Boost Alliance to Counter China, Analysts Say (November 4, 2023):
https://www.voanews.com/a/japan-phili…