‘A big deal’: US, Philippines tighten military ties
2023-02-03 09:40:01 source：The Associated Press
February 3, 2023
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines said Thursday it was allowing U.S. forces to broaden their footprint in the Southeast Asian nation, the latest Biden administration move strengthening an arc of military alliances in the Indo-Pacific to better counter China, including in any future confrontation over Taiwan.
Thursday’s agreement, which gives U.S. forces access to four more military camps, was announced during a visit by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. He has led efforts to reinforce regional security partnerships and update the arming and positioning of American and allied forces in Asia in the face of China’s increasing military strength and its assertiveness regarding its claims to Taiwan and in the South China Sea.
“It’s a big deal,” Austin said at a news conference, while noting the agreement did not mean the reestablishment of permanent American bases in the Philippines.
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