Why the Philippines walks a delicate balance as Asean chair
When Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr accepted the Asean gavel from Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur last October, the script was already written: a packed agenda, South China Sea diplomacy in the spotlight and a regional digital economy deal to clinch. Then the world changed. On February 28, US and Israeli forces struck Iran. The Strait of Hormuz, an artery of global shipping through which 98 per cent of the Philippines’ crude oil imports travel,
The Philippines assumed the ASEAN chairmanship with a pre-planned agenda focusing on the South China Sea and a regional digital economy deal. However, escalating global tensions, particularly the conflict involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, have significantly altered the geopolitical landscape. This development poses a direct challenge to the Philippines, as the Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for nearly all of its crude oil imports.
The Philippines faces a complex challenge in balancing its ASEAN leadership role with the urgent need to secure vital energy supplies amidst escalating international conflict.
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