, Columnist
How a New Asia Alliance Is Challenging China
India and the Philippines have staged their first joint naval exercises in the South China Sea in a signal to Beijing.
Narendra Modi and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in New Delhi.
Photographer: Prakash Singh/BloombergA new alliance between India and the Philippines is emerging to counter China’s actions in the South China Sea — a sign that nations across the region are filling the gaps left by an increasingly disengaged America.
It’s a smart strategy. This week the Asian democracies held their first joint naval exercises in the waters, much of which China claims as its own. Despite Beijing’s vessels shadowing them, officials said the two-day drills were a success.