Tensions between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea are showing no signs of calming down. China was widely seen as the target when Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently ordered his government to strengthen coordination on maritime security to confront what he called "a range of serious challenges". Twice in three months, China’s foreign ministry has delivered a warning to the Philippine side that the bilateral relations are at a crossroads.

Are there still conditions for Beijing and Manila to lower tensions? Host Ding Heng is joined by Rong Ying, Senior Research Fellow at China Institute of International Studies; Herman Laurel, President of Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute; Howard Co, Philippine entrepreneur and currently a graduate student studying international relations and contemporary Chinese studies at Renmin University of China.