Manila, Philippines — Recent naval maneuvers by China and Indonesia in waters east of Taiwan, coupled with intensified Chinese maritime pressure around Filipino features in the West Philippine Sea, reveal a pattern of strategic posturing that prioritizes intimidation over genuine regional stability.

JAKARTA — Indonesia's foreign ministry warned its defense ministry via an early-April confidential letter against granting the US military "blanket" overflight rights over Indonesian territory, citing risks of entanglement in South China Sea conflicts.