US gains access to four more military bases in Philippines

Manila — The Philippines has granted the US greater access to its military bases, their defence chiefs said on Thursday, amid mounting concern over China’s increasing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea and tension over self-ruled Taiwan.

The US would be given access to four more locations under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Co-operation Agreement, US defense secretary Lloyd Austin and his counterpart, Carlito Galvez, said in a joint news conference in Manila.

Austin, who is in the Philippines for talks as the US, seeks to extend its security options as part of efforts to deter any move by China against Taiwan, referred to the Philippines’ decision as a “big deal” as he and his counterpart reaffirmed their commitment to bolstering their alliance.

“Our alliance makes both of our democracies more secure and helps uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Austin, whose visit follows one by US Vice-President Kamala Harris in November, which included a stop at Palawan island in the South China Sea.

“We discussed concrete actions to address destabilising activities in the waters surrounding the Philippines, including the West Philippine Sea, and we remain committed to strengthening our mutual capacities to resist armed attack,” Austin said.

“That’s just part of our efforts to modernsze our alliance. And these efforts are especially important as People’s Republic of China continues to advance its illegitimate claims in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.

China said greater US access to the Philippines’ military bases undermined regional stability and raised tensions.

“This is an act that escalates tensions in the region and endangers regional peace and stability,” China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a regular briefing.

“Regional countries should remain vigilant about this and avoid being used by the US.”

The additional sites under the agreement bring to nine the number of military bases the US would have access to. It had announced it was allocating more than $82m for infrastructure at the existing sites.

The agreement allows US access to Philippines military bases for joint training, pre-positioning of equipment and the building of facilities such as runways, fuel storage and military housing, but not for a permanent presence.

Austin and Galvez did not specify the sites that would be opened to US access. The former Philippines military chief had said the  Pentagon had asked for access to bases on the main northern island of Luzon, the closest part of the Philippines to Taiwan, and on Palawan in the southwest, near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

Outside the military headquarters, dozens of protesters opposed to a US military presence chanted anti-US slogans and called for the accord to be scrapped.

Before meeting his counterpart, Austin met Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos and assured him of Washington’s support.

“We stand ready to help you in any way we can,” Austin said.

Ties between the US and its former colony were soured under the previous president, Rodrigo Duterte, who made overtures towards China and was known for anti-US rhetoric and threats to downgrade military ties.

Marcos has met President Joe Biden twice since the son of former dictator, also called Ferdinand Marcos, won a landslide victory in an election last year and reiterated he could not see a future for his country without its longtime treaty ally.

“I have always said, it seems to me, the future of the Philippines and for that matter the Asia-Pacific will always have to involve the US,” Marcos told Austin.

Reuters