The geopolitical map of maritime Asia is gradually changing. Not dramatically so and not by way of formal alliances, but through a steady coming together of interests among states increasingly concerned by China's growing power in the South China Sea region.

Nowhere else is that clearer than in the Philippines.

For years, Manila has maintained unofficial and close ties with Taiwan just to the north, while carefully observing Beijing’s preferred ‘One China’ policy. That position has not formally changed as was seen in late March when both countries came together in Quanzhou, Fujian Province for the 24th China–Philippines Foreign Ministry Consultations then last month when the Philippines participated in the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting in Suzhou, China.

The practical relationship though is becoming steadily deeper, particularly in the fields of security and maritime affairs. To this end, recent comments from Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro mark perhaps the strongest public signal yet.

Speaking in the past week at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Teodoro said the Philippines was seeking closer ties with Taiwan as part of a broader effort to deter China's "nefarious plans". In doing so, he described Taiwan, Japan and Vietnam as part of a growing network of countries pursuing what he called a "convergence endeavour" aimed at strengthening regional security, according to Taiwan’s Taipei Times.

Speaking so openly against China is rarely done at this level.

For decades, many Southeast Asian governments have actively sought to avoid being drawn into any tensions related to the Taiwan Strait and Chinese claims on democratic Taiwan. However, today that is changing. Philippine officials increasingly view Taiwan's security as directly linked to their own. At their closest point the shortest distance between Taiwan and the Philippines is just 88 miles across the Bashi Channel between southern Taiwan and the Batanes Islands of the northern Philippines.

Geography thus explains much of this shift. Taiwan sits just north of the Philippines across the Luzon Strait – of which the Bashi Channel makes up the southern part – a waterway through which global military forces and commercial shipping move between the Pacific and the South China Sea. Because of this proximity to internationally used waterways, any conflict involving Taiwan would almost inevitably affect the Philippines, most noticeably in the form of blocking trade routes and national security.

In recent years, Manila's concerns have intensified as confrontations with Chinese vessels have become more and more frequent around disputed features in the South China Sea (see map above).

Philippine officials on an almost weekly basis warn that Chinese activities pose a significant security threat regardless of the on-again, off-again bromance between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President-for-life, Xi Jinping.

At the same time, unofficial links between Taiwan and the Philippines have broadened with trade figures pointing to Philippine imports from Taiwan rising 18.6% year-on-year to over $4.7bn in 2025 and Manila’s exports to Taiwan up 22.1% year-on-year at $3.3bn. Because of this, Taiwan is now among the Philippines’ top 10 trading partners, local Taiwanese media reports.

Bloomberg also recently reported growing exchanges involving business leaders and security officials holding discussions on coastguard cooperation and maritime security. While still falling short of formal defence cooperation in any official manner, the direction the relationship is taking is increasingly clear.

Add to this Taiwan's role in advanced semiconductor production on the global stage and the nation’s role as a tech supplier is evident for both the Philippine government in Manila and others across Asia.

In turn, Taiwanese President (William) Lai Ching-te, like his predecessor, has repeatedly argued that stability in the Taiwan Strait is critical not only for regional security but also for global supply chains.

As such, for the Philippines, attracting Taiwanese investment and in particular technology offers economic benefits alongside potentially military aid in the event of conflict with the result being a relationship that is increasingly ‘official’ in all but name.

The Philippines is not alone – other countries bordering the South China Sea are also starting to push back against China.

Surprisingly given shared Communist ideals is Vietnam, which has become one of the region's most active challengers of Chinese maritime claims. In doing so, Hanoi continues to expand facilities and reclaimed land on islands and reefs it occupies in the heavily contested Spratly chain, while at the same time it maintains extensive political and economic ties with Beijing, according to The Star.

That China and Taiwan as well as Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei also claim parts of the Spratlys only complicates the issue.

Vietnam's approach though is often described as "bamboo diplomacy" in that it is highly flexible and designed to avoid choosing sides – shared border with China notwithstanding – with President To Lam of Vietnam recently indicating the importance of strong relations with China while simultaneously reaffirming Vietnam's commitment to protecting its sovereignty and maritime interests, according to Reuters.

Yet beneath the diplomatic language, Hanoi continues building on the islands it currently occupies, strengthening its position in contested waters.

This, coupled to Vietnam's decision earlier in the week to elevate relations with the Philippines to an an enhanced partnership of sorts only reflects the shared concern felt in both Manila and Hanoi as both governments declared that peace and a rules-based order in the South China Sea were "non-negotiable", according to Reuters. In the days since, China has offered little in the way of response.

Malaysia presents a different case altogether, however, as Kuala Lumpur remains much more cautious than either Manila or Hanoi. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has consistently pushed for dialogue and regional solutions rather than any form of confrontation and Malaysia continues to pursue extensive economic engagement with China while at the same time avoiding inflammatory rhetoric – in part perhaps as a result of its long-standing cultural and historical links to China with over 20% of Malaysians being ethnic Chinese.

Even so, Kuala Lumpur has quietly strengthened cooperation with Vietnam and continues to defend its own maritime claims. Bloomberg reported in late 2024 efforts by Vietnam and Malaysia to boost trade and to coordinate more closely on maintaining stability and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

Elsewhere around the South China Sea, a similar pattern is emerging.

Japan and the Philippines have deepened defence ties. Australia has increased security cooperation across Southeast Asia and Canada and New Zealand are also becoming more active participants in regional maritime initiatives. None are actively looking for confrontation with Beijing and all are seeking greater resilience against potential coercion, according to Bloomberg.

China, meanwhile, is getting increasingly aggressive and continues to assert its myriad claims across the South China Sea. Part of this has seen Chinese forces increase coastguard and maritime patrol activity around disputed areas thousands of kilometres from Chinese shores. Daily air and naval intrusions into Taiwanese economic zones and airspace are the norm for the nation of 24mn.

As such, the significance of Manila's growing engagement with Taiwan extends beyond bilateral ties or agreements to work together and reflects a broader regional trend in that Asian governments are not forming an explicit anti-China bloc. Instead, most remain deeply dependent on trade with Beijing and continue to seek stable relations, but they are slowly coming together to stand up to the neighbourhood bully.

Governments around the South China Sea are increasingly coordinating with one another, in terms of trade and militarily to prepare for a future in which China's maritime ambitions may spill over into open hostilities.

For now, the Philippines has simply moved further and faster than most.