Philippines President Duterte is regretting the mistake he made in 2016 dealing with Chinese. Duterte is same one who called then President Obama a “son of a whore”. He knew Obama is a snake in the grass. Now he learned the hard way that China is a dragon devouring and threatening its ASEAN neighbors.
I can tell you that there has been a dramatic increase in US assets flying into the region. Expect more freedom of navigation exercises over the South China Sea under UNCLOS law. I also know the Philippines are now holding more joint military exercises with the United States under President Trump.
Remember, all those Chinese military assets and troops have yet to be tested in true combat conditions. They lost a border war with Vietnam in 1979. Imperial Japan occupied most of China from 1935-1945. China has only illegally invaded and occupied peaceful Tibet.
If they try invading Taiwan, their navy will become new coral reefs at the bottom of East China Sea and South China Sea. Those “island” bases and runways will be bombed and rendered useless by US B-2 bombers. Their airforce will be shot down by US, Taiwanese and Japanese fighters along with ground and ship based missiles.
h/t Agent MIB