WITH President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. opening up nine bases of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to American forces gearing up for possible war with China over Taiwan, the world's three major regions — Europe, North America and Asia — are now divided into two fiercely armed blocs.

On one side is the West, including the United States-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), plus US allies Japan and Australia. On the other is the 'East,' as China, Russia and their allies, like Belarus and North Korea, are sometimes labeled.