SCS Code will keep the US out of SCS but it also limit China's actions, now that China have overwhelming military advantage against the USA in the SCS, China can wait.
The Code of conduct benefit AESEAN more than China, if they want to wait it's their problem.
Bingo, the COC will nullify the American FON, cause there is no Casus Belli for them to be there. Marcos is stupid, early on his state visit to Beijing, the document is there for his signing, Duterte FM Locsin had done a good job, even though it doesn't get all what we wanted at least there is oil sharing agreed (60/40) between the two parties. Its better than nothing and if there is a COC between them, Vietnam will be in a precarious situation cause they use the Philippine arbitration ruling as a cover for its island expansion, without that cover the Chinese will overwhelmed them and their claimed stand on shaky ground.
From my previous post Marcos run on only one platform, to save his family name and wealth, that its, no economic and geopolitical policy. He just react rather than plan for the future. He underestimated the price the American level on him and didn't expect the Chinese respond and the weak Collective West support, I mean did the Japanese sent their fleet as verbally promise and American action didn't deter the Chinese. Duterte understand that the SCS is a Chinese pond and the Philippine can lived under the Chinese shadow BUT the Japanese and SK can't due to pride and hubris, they becoming a willing ally to the US rather than work with the Chinese.
