PH reconciliation with China reduces tension in SCS

President Rodrigo Duterte’s conciliatory approach toward China has reduced tensions in the South China Sea and is a positive development for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), two foreign policy experts said.

The de-escalation of tensions comes as the Philippines assumes chairmanship of Asean in 2017, coincidentally also the organization’s 50th anniversary. This de-escalation is likely to have a positive effect on the country’s chairmanship and on Asean-China ties, said Dr. Tang SiewMun and Prof. Wang Gungwu.