Introduction

Pressing national issues often invoke the wisdom of thinkers of the pertinent field of study. As a field, China Studies in the Philippines strongly engages with its publics. Especially that Philippines-China relations are challenging, a critical analysis from the field’s experts is constantly solicited. For instance, the heightened tensions following the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff constituted a conundrum that required expert input in both asking the right questions and seeking the corresponding interventions. It is notable that the tenor in bilateral relations has exhibited infamous shifts, for instance, from the Arroyo administration’s (2001–2010) bumper crop of bilateral agreements to the Aquino administration’s (2010–2016) recalcitrant position, culminating in taking China to international court, and finally to the Duterte administration’s (2016–2022) pivot to China. Despite what China insists as indisputable maritime claims, Philippine concerns on China’s growing power, and asymmetry in bilateral economic engagement, it is without a doubt that China remains a major economic partner of the Philippines. Through these periods of engagement and various flash points within them, the need for nuanced insight has always been underscored. China Studies serves as a knowledge base to address the need for such nuanced input and beyond. Hence, we argue further that a textured appreciation of the layered contexts of how expertise on China evolved can be helpful in understanding not only Philippines-China relations but, more importantly, how the narrative of China expertise in the Philippines contributes to China Studies in the world.