Manila expanded a 2014 agreement to give the US military access to four more military bases.
Manila:
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said Monday that the United States would not gain access to more Philippine military bases.
Marcos' comments came days after a trilateral summit between the United States, Japan and the Philippines in Washington, where tensions over the disputed South China Sea – which Beijing claims almost entirely – were high on the agenda.
The Philippines is a major focus of U.S. efforts to strengthen regional alliances because of its proximity to the waterway and self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own.
Manila last year expanded a 2014 agreement to give U.S. military access to four more military bases in the country, bringing the total to nine.
The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) allows U.S. forces to transit and store defense equipment and supplies. It has angered Beijing.
“The answer to that is no. The Philippines has no plan to open or set up more EDCA bases,” Marcos said in response to a question from AFP on whether there would be more EDCA locations.
Marcos spoke during a forum with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, which was attended by top members of the Philippine military and foreign diplomats.
US President Joe Biden reiterated at last week's trilateral meeting that Washington's commitment to defend its treaty ally Manila was “ironclad.”
Although the two countries have a complex history that has seen relations falter in recent years, they remain bound by a 1951 mutual defense treaty.
Repeated clashes between Philippine and Chinese ships in the South China Sea in recent months, including clashes and Chinese ships using water cannon on Philippine ships, injuring Philippine troops, have fueled speculation about what actions could trigger the treaty .
Top Biden administration officials have repeatedly said that “an armed attack” against Philippine public vessels, aircraft, armed forces or coast guards anywhere in the South China Sea would invoke the treaty.
Marcos said on Monday that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had given assurances that the treaty would be invoked if another “foreign power” killed a Filipino soldier.
EDCA's expansion last year came as the countries sought to repair ties that have been strained in recent years.
Previous Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte favored China over his country's former colonial master, but the Marcos government was keen to reverse that.
Beijing's increasing assertiveness in asserting its claims to virtually the entire South China Sea and to Taiwan has given new impetus to Washington and Manila to strengthen their partnership.
Given the Philippines' proximity to Taiwan and surrounding waters, the country's cooperation would be crucial in the event of a conflict with China.
Asked how a Donald Trump-led Republican administration could affect the United States' “ironclad” commitment to the Philippines, Marcos said the agreements between Manila and Washington were “beyond politics” and were almost “treaty agreements” that were respected had to be, whoever that was. in power.
Marcos also said negotiations with Japan on a defense pact that would allow the countries' troops to set foot on each other's territory were “very close” to completion.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Our staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
