Escalating Regional Tensions & ASEAN Leadership.

As the Philippines prepares for its role as ASEAN Chair, it is balancing delicate diplomatic and security issues. From February 20–26, 2026, the Philippines conducted multilateral maritime exercises with the U.S. and Japan in the South China Sea to bolster tactical interoperability. Beyond the well-known friction with China, a fresh border row has emerged with Malaysia and Indonesia. Kuala Lumpur recently lodged a formal protest against the Philippines' new Maritime Zones Act, claiming it encroaches on Malaysian waters near Sabah.

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