SIGUR CENTER FOR ASIAN STUDIES
Policy Brief- July 2016

 

Post-Hague: The Philippines and Strategic Balance 

For Rodrigo Duterte, the new Philippine president, managing his country's victory in a case against China on South China Sea disputes before an international tribunal is an early test of his leadership in foreign policy. At stake is a broader picture of the country's strategic posture: while it is certain the Duterte government will provide a way forward in response to the July 12 ruling, there is also an expectation that this issue will give clarity to his strategic outlook in international affairs, specifically with respect to relations with the United States, China, and ASEAN.
 
This Policy Alert explores how the Philippines' legal victory will challenge the new government's efforts to balance ties with major powers as well as foreign vs. domestic priorities.
 
  
This Policy Brief is part of a series in a project at the Rising Powers Initiative exploring the linkages between energy security and maritime strategies in the Indo-Pacific.  The effort is funded by the MacArthur Foundation. 
 
The Rising Powers Initiative examines how domestic political debates and identity issues affect international relations in Asia.
 
More information on the Rising Powers Initiative can be found at:
By Dr. Virginia Watson, Professor, Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and a scholar on the RPI energy and maritime security project.

The views in this Policy Brief are the author's own and don't necessarily reflect those of the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, or the Asia-Pacific Center.


The Sigur Center for Asian Studies is an international research center of The Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University. Its mission is to increase the quality and broaden the scope of scholarly research and publications on Asian affairs, promote U.S.-Asia scholarly interaction and 
serve as the nexus for educating a new generation of students, scholars, analysts, and policymakers.

 

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