Inside Story

Can China woo the Philippines away from the US?

China’s top diplomat visits Manila as it carries out joint military drills with Washington.

China’s foreign minister has just wrapped up a visit to the Philippines.

It was a meeting between neighbours with a history not only of deep economic ties, but also of long-running territorial disputes.

Ministers from the two countries have pledged to work together to resolve their differences.

The visit was the latest in a series of high-level meetings between the Philippines, China and the United States, who are all vying for the upper hand in the Asia-Pacific region.

How is the Philippines going to strike a balance in its relations with the two superpowers?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Richard Javad Heydarian – Academic and author of books including Asia’s New Battlefield: The USA, China and the struggle for the Western Pacific

Gregory Poling – Director of the Southeast Asia Programme and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies

Andrew Leung – China policy analyst