Articles by Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby

From Kinmen to the South China Sea: Weaponising narratives

In cases like the Kinmen capsizing incident and in its dealings with the Philippines, China uses its own interpretation of history and international law to launch a narrative where it is the aggrieved party, says Philippine academic Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby. She cautions that crafting a narrative requires anchoring it in strategy instead of being knee-jerk reactions that can lead nations down paths best avoided.

Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby

26 Mar 2024

Between economy and security: Does the Philippines' Marcos Jr have a choice?

While Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's 3-5 Jan visit to Beijing reaped economic opportunities, it was also a missed opportunity to leverage the 2016 arbitral award, says Philippine academic Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby. The onus rests on the Philippines to keep the West Philippine Sea on the agenda, and there are several steps the Marcos administration should keep in mind in doing so.

Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby

11 Jan 2023

2022 elections may bring change to the Philippines' China policy

Foreign policy does not usually feature prominently in the Philippine presidential elections, but it should in May this year as candidates will be expected to raise the country's China policy in policy debates given the accommodating approach adopted by the Duterte administration and its residual effects on the country's body politic and strategic posture. Apart from territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea, China's impact on issues such as food security and access to natural resources, migration, business regulation, and transnational crime would also come to the fore.

Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby

09 Mar 2022