The Philippines is rapidly emerging as a frontline state in the US-China rivalry in the Indo-Pacific, with Washington deploying its latest weapons systems in the country, which is part of the first island chain — the strategic archipelagos in East Asia comprising Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines. The move reflects the increasing convergence between the strategic interests of the US, which is committed to protecting its allies in the Indo-Pacific, and the Philippines, which is increasingly at the receiving end of China’s aggressive behavior in the South China Sea.