Between the Great Powers: Understanding Philippines Bandwagon amidst the United States-China Rivalry in the South China Sea

Abstract

Over the past few years, China has emerged as a rising power, which has become actively involved in power struggles in the international system. Its rapid rise in both economic and military power has allowed Beijing to pursue an unprecedentedly assertive foreign policy, including its ambition to become the leading power controlling large parts of the South China Sea through its Nine-Dash Line map. While the implications of China's increased engagement can be felt across the globe, no country in Southeast Asia has had its security and sovereignty as severely roiled by Chinese naval and coast guard activities as the Philippines has in recent years. Apart from Vietnam, the Philippines has been the most vocal in opposing Beijing's lawless claims, having successfully won a lawsuit at the International Court of Arbitration in 2016. Tensions in the South China Sea have also shown that the region has been transformed into a battleground of rivalries, where superpower like the United States is engaged in the region in a quest to defend their interests, power and regional order that is being contested by China as an emerging superpower. The article aims to provide an in-depth analysis to explain the dynamics of the Philippines bandwagon amidst the United States-China rivalry in the South China Sea. Through a descriptive qualitative method that relies on the examination of secondary sources including official documents, journal articles, and media reports, the author seeks to analyze various specific details related to the United States-China rivalry in the South China Sea into one comprehensive study. In the article, the main argument presented was that the Philippine bandwagon amidst the United States-China rivalry is heavily influenced by its security and sovereignty matters, which are often threatened by China’s claim and its military activities in the contested area of the South China Sea.

Keywords: Bandwagon; China; Rivalry; the South China Sea; the United States,