Marcos as Philippine president a boon for China, awkward for US

Ferdinand Marcos Jr is keen to attract investment from China for his ambitious infrastructure agenda. - Reuters

MANILA (Reuters) : The decisive victory of Ferdinand Marcos Jr in the Philippines' presidential election on Monday (May 9) is set to re-shape the South-East Asian country's relations with China and the United States as he seeks closer ties with Beijing.

Marcos, the son and namesake of the country's former dictator, has long-standing ties with China and is seeking a new deal with Chinese ruler Xi Jinping over the contested waters of the South China Sea.