SAN ANTONIO, Philippines/KUALA LUMPUR -- Clad in a bomber jacket, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. climbed into the cabin of a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) for a briefing on the American launcher's lethal capabilities.

The Philippines and the U.S. are expanding maritime cooperation, including joint patrols, with one analyst saying Manila's newfound assertiveness could "encourage other Southeast Asian claimants to be more confident in protecting their rights in the South China Sea." © Illustration by Hiroko Oshima
China tensions loom over bloc summit as Malaysia asserts gas rights, Vietnam hones defense