Manila's minilateral defense push divides analysts ahead of Trump-Xi summit

The Philippines is leveraging its ASEAN chairmanship to advance the 'Squad' minilateral defense grouping with the US, Japan, and Australia, a move analysts split on as opportunistic or strategically sound. The initiative gains salience ahead of a Trump-Xi meeting, where regional security alignments may be tested. Uncertainty centers on the grouping's operational weight and whether it signals a shift in Manila's hedging strategy.

AI disclosure: Model-written summary of the source, not a verified fact. Check the sources. How Mosaic works