WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles, Washington Bureau) – A new claimant to the disputed territories in the South China Sea is about to come forward following the November 8 U.S. presidential elections.  That claimant is the United States.

In her remarks to Goldman Sachs executives in 2013, Hillary Clinton recalled having contentious discussions with Chinese officials over their broad — and in her view, spurious — claims to the South China Sea. At one point, the now Democratic candidate for president told them that, using their rationale, the United States could claim the Pacific Ocean from California all the way to the Philippines.

Will the U.S. lay claim on the South China Sea?  We will soon find out after Clinton is elected president.

Meanwhile, her Republican opponent Donald Trump is whining about the Philippines “separating” from America, a statement made by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during his official state visit to China.  Trump is blaming President Obama for Duterte’s statement, accusing the American leader of spending his time campaigning for Hillary instead of dealing with issues that have led Duterte to announce an alignment with China and Russia.

It’s a convoluted world we have, but it looks like the outcome of this year’s U.S. presidential elections will boil down to issues with China, the Philippines and the South China Sea.

Oh, and yes, kissing and groping women.