(UPDATE) INCOMING US President Donald Trump confronts a pivotal challenge in countering China’s growing dominance in the South China Sea (SCS) — a crucial geopolitical hotspot where the Philippines, a long-time ally, has faced persistent obstacles in asserting its sovereign rights.
Retired US Air Force colonel Ray Powell, director of Stanford University’s SeaLight maritime transparency initiative, emphasized the critical need for decisive action as he pointed out that China exploits perceived weakness. This makes it essential for the US to project strength to protect its interests and those of its regional allies, he said.
The South China Sea has long been…