Philippines’ bid for UN Security Council seat sidesteps maritime row

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s pitch for a United Nations Security Council seat this week was notable for his sidestepping of an issue at the core of Manila’s foreign policy in recent years. As he appealed to UN members in New York, Marcos framed the Philippines as a bridge connecting developing countries and middle-income economies, without making any direct reference to the South China Sea dispute. The president’s restrained speech, which avoided mentioning China despite ongoin...

By Sam Beltran