Herman S. Taylor — 9DASHLINE

The Cost of Consistency: Beijing’s Miscalculation in the First Island Chain

Written by Herman S. Taylor

The dispute with the Philippines was temporarily set aside rather than settled, leaving room for neutrality. Then Beijing brought the same coercive reflex to Manila that it used everywhere. The failure was not China’s refusal to yield its claims, but its inability to adopt softer tactics.

Southeast Asia9DLSeptember 1, 2026Philippine sea, South China Sea (SCS), Chinese coercion, US-Philippines, 2016 Arbitral Award, First Island Chain, Scarborough Shoal, Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos Jr., Philippine Offshore Gambling Operators, fishermen, Northern Luzon, maritime trade, pacific, 9DASHLINE, The Cost of Consistency Beijing’s Miscalculation in the First Island Chain, Herman S. Taylor