The annual Balikatan military exercises between the U.S. and the Philippines are beginning without participation from neighboring Southeast Asian members. Analysts note that while some ASEAN nations see US commitment, joining the drills risks appearing as a strategic move amidst US-China rivalry.

Balikatan, the flagship annual military exercise between Manila and Washington, begins in the Philippines this month without a single neighbouring Southeast Asian member taking part, despite the drills’ growing scale and multinational reach. Analysts say that hesitation helps explain Balikatan’s place in the region: for some Asean members, it is a reassuring sign of US commitment, but joining it risks looking like a strategic choice in the sharpening rivalry between Washington and Beijing. “To.....