US-Philippines Alliance Faces Chinese Aggression in South China Sea

The 35th annual Military Law and Operations Conference in Manila sees the U.S. and Philippines discussing responses to Chinese naval aggression in the South China Sea. The U.S. considers escorting Filipino vessels to disputed shoals to counteract Chinese efforts to block resupply missions, endangering regional stability.

As two U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups patrolled the Indian Ocean this week to deter Iran from striking Israel and sparking a major regional conflict, a separate military messaging effort was unfolding at a luxury conference center in Manila.

The 35th annual Military Law and Operations Conference, organized by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, convened from Aug. 27-30 in the Philippines' capital—a location likely chosen for strategic reasons. Since late 2023, Filipino supply ships have faced repeated blockades by Chinese patrol boats at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.

Recent months have seen escalations, including dangerous confrontations involving Chinese and Filipino vessels at Sabina Shoal. Amid these tensions, Admiral Samuel Paparo of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command hinted at possible U.S. naval escorts for Filipino resupply missions, a move Beijing would consider highly provocative.