Localization of the United States-China Rivalry

Aries Arugay, Miguel Antonio Hermo

• Publisher: ISEAS Publishing
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9789815306538
• Edition: 0
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: International Relations
• Index: Politics & International Relations

The intensified rivalry between the United States and China has put small states like the Philippines in a precarious position, given its relative importance in the regional geo-strategy of both big powers.Since foreign and security policymaking tend to be formulated in a top-down manner, existing analyses have not paid sufficient attention to what extent this big-power competition has affected local political dynamics and local governance.The Philippine foreign policy pendulum has swung since 2016 between adopting a more cordial relationship with either the US or China. This opened opportunities for each big power to engage local governments in political, security, economic, and socio-cultural activities that potentially hold implications for national security.This study compares the engagement of the US and China with the local governments of Cagayan province in northern Luzon and Palawan province in southwestern Luzon. Both are geo-strategically important to the big powers for having coastal access to critical territorial and maritime zones (South China Sea and Taiwan).While China has fostered good economic and political relations with these two provinces, the presence of military sites and facilities identified by the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the US and the Philippines have made it difficult for the local governments to veer away from the foreign and security policies adopted by the Marcos Jr. administration.