The United States has secured access to four more military bases in the
Philippines
, allowing for extra support for its allies in the region and increasing Washington’s ability to monitor
China
.
With access to the bases in the Philippines, the U.S. is much closer to
Taiwan
and the disputed South China Sea, shoring up its defense and reconnaissance in the region. Washington has already had alliances enabling its stretch from South Korea and
Japan
in the north to Australia in the south.
AIR FORCE GENERAL WARNS TROOPS OF WAR WITH CHINA BY 2025, DISAGREEING WITH PENTAGON ASSESSMENT
Defense Secretary
Lloyd Austin
arrived at the Department of National Defense in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Philippines, on Thursday. Demonstrators stood outside the defense headquarters in protest of the visit and held signs, including ones that read, “U.S. troops out of the Philippines!”
Austin also met with Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace in Manila on Thursday. The two leaders announced their agreement to expand America’s military presence in the country by giving the U.S. access to the four bases. Marcos has taken steps to become closer to the U.S. since taking office in June,
according to
the Associated Press.
China has been increasingly aggressive toward Taiwan, which it views as part of its country. By establishing a stronger foothold in the Philippines, which borders the disputed
South China Sea
and is fewer than 750 miles from Taiwan, the U.S. not only can understand more about China’s strategy but also be more equipped to act, should it be necessary.
Taiwan, an island of roughly 24 million people, is self-governing and has claimed its independence. The U.S. has recognized China’s claim to Taiwan but
does not support
any unilateral change in the status. Over the course of the last year, China has demonstrated aggressive military maneuvers, including sending fighter planes and navy vessels toward Taiwan.
The U.S. hasn’t said where its new access points on the bases are, but three of them could be on the northern island of Luzon, BBC News
reported
.
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The opposition from some Philippine citizens against the U.S. expanding its military in the country will likely not come as a surprise due to the fractured past between the once-colony and its former colonizer. But the talks between Austin and leaders in the Philippines underscore how serious they see the threat China poses to the region and how the U.S. can help ensure security, as well as the country’s own interests, in the area.
It remains to be seen what China’s response to Austin’s presence and likely bolstering of American troops in the Philippines will be. House Speaker
Kevin McCarthy
(R-CA) is expected to visit Taiwan in the spring amid the growing threat posed by China.
