to be skeptical of America’s “geopolitical self-interest” and accused the United States of stoking tensions in the region at a weekend
Marcos made the comments at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual summit in Singapore that has long been the barometer for relations between China and the U.S. Dong’s comments illustrate how frayed U.S.-China relations remain as Beijing ups its presence in contested waters off the South China Sea and as both nations try to find a middle ground at sea and in the air that would prevent tensions from spiraling into an all-out crisis.
China added it was “crystal clear” who the Philippine foreign policy and its maritime operations serve, pointing to the U.S. The landmark case was brought by the Philippines and was seen at the time as an important crossroads in China’s push for global dominance and its rivalry with the U.S.