Status: 02/02/2023 10:30 a.m
The US and the Philippines are expanding their joint defense agreement. Washington wants to expand its military presence in the island state by four more bases. China responded with harsh words.
The US has secured access to four more military bases in the Philippines. A corresponding agreement was reached during a visit by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to the island state.
In a joint statement, Manila and Washington said four new bases would be added to the 2014 Deepened Defense Agreement (EDCA).
So far, the agreement has given US forces access to five Philippine military bases where troops could be deployed on a rotating basis. “The expansion of EDCA will make our alliance stronger and more resilient and will accelerate the modernization of our combined military capabilities,” the statement said. The new locations would also enable faster support from the contractual partner in the event of humanitarian or climate-related disasters in the Philippines.
Relationship strained lately
The Philippines is Washington’s oldest treaty partner in the region. Most recently, however, the relationship had cooled considerably during President Rodrigo Duterte’s tenure. Not only Duterte’s bloody fight against drug crime, but also his close ties with China were a thorn in Washington’s side.
At times, Duterte canceled an important defense pact with the United States, but later reversed that decision. Since his election last year, the new president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has been trying to improve relations again.
The US Secretary of Defense had previously visited ally South Korea. The US is also seeking increased cooperation with its partners over the Taiwan conflict and tensions in the South China Sea.
China threatens to conquer Taiwan
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there were recent concerns that the People’s Republic could invade Taiwan. China regards the island as its own territory and threatens to conquer it, while Taiwan has long considered itself independent.
Beijing immediately condemned the expansion of the US military presence in the Philippines as an act “endangering regional peace and stability,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said. The US “selfish agenda” would lead to an escalation of tensions, it said.