{
  "id": 525295,
  "title": "Why did US defence official Colby avoid mention of Scarborough Shoal in Manila speech?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/why-did-us-defence-official-colby-avoid-mention-of-scarborough-shoal",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-11T02:31:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3363592/why-did-us-defence-official-colby-avoid-mention-scarborough-shoal-manila-speech"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "US Undersecretary of Defence for Policy Elbridge Colby avoided mentioning Beijing or discussing increasing tensions in the South China Sea during his speech in Manila. Despite being in the capital of Washington's oldest treaty ally in Asia, Colby did not directly reference recent confrontations between Chinese and Philippine forces near the disputed Scarborough Shoal. Instead, he aimed to reassure regional allies that the United States was not withdrawing from Asia. He stated that the US is \"digging in\" to maintain a favorable balance of power in the region. Colby's omissions were especially significant as Washington had previously criticized China for what it deemed a \"destabilizing\" nature reserve at the reef and denying Filipino fishermen access to traditional fishing grounds. Analysts speculated that Colby's cautious remarks were due to Washington's desire to avoid provoking Beijing before the anticipated Trump-Xi summit. Bonnie Glaser, a managing director at the German Marshall Fund, suggested that Colby likely believed it would be best to avoid commenting on China to maintain the stability established by the two leaders in Busan and Beijing. Another possibility was Colby's personal interest in visiting Beijing, which might have angered Beijing if harsh criticism was made, but would have displeased Manila if mild criticism was used. While Colby's language may not indicate a significant shift in Washington's approach towards China, some analysts noted that his emphasis on the first island chain, deterrence by denial, and stronger allies clearly identified the strategic challenge without explicitly mentioning China.",
  "summary": "US Undersecretary of Defence for Policy Elbridge Colby avoided naming Beijing or addressing escalating tensions in the South China Sea during a speech in Manila on Monday, adopting a measured tone weeks before an expected meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Despite speaking in the capital of Washington’s oldest treaty ally in Asia, Colby made no direct…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
        "title": "Why did US defence official Colby avoid mention of Scarborough Shoal in Manila speech?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/why-did-us-defence-official-colby-avoid-mention-of-scarborough-shoal-526130",
        "published": "2026-08-11T02:31:05.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}