A new point is added for map of the tension between United States of America Y Chinese: Philippines. Washington and Manila have a meeting this Thursday. agreement this will allow The US expands its military presence on the islandsin a gesture clearly designed to send A deterrent message to Beijing to stop aggressive actions in Taiwan and the South China Sea.
According to a joint communiqué, the pact Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) for its English abbreviation), signed in 2014. It comes months after the vice president’s visit in November. Kamala Harris and one later Bilateral rapprochement following Rodrigo Duterte’s departure from power and Ferdinand Marcos Jr., signed by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin with his counterpart, Carlito Galvez, during his arrival as president and his visit to the Philippines.
As agreed, the United States added access to four bases within the “Philippine Armed Forces” strategic regions of the country“The place where you can install military equipment. Three of them may be in the area, although not yet publicly disclosed. luzon, the northernmost Philippine island and closest to Taiwan.
At the same time, Washington will allocate $82 million to improve infrastructure Moreover five other facilities who is already part of EDCA and who They had access since 2016 US forces with the option of rotation indefinitely (the Philippine Constitution prohibits the permanent deployment of foreign forces and their participation in local conflicts).
Beijing Criticism
The announcement of the agreement has reached us. Beijing reviews. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning accused the US of “acting irrationally”. self interest” and “exacerbate tensions in the region and endanger stability and peace with the reinforcement of its military deployment, which already covers Japan and South Korea north Australia in the south.
“Regional countries should be vigilant against this and avoid being coerced and used By the US,” Ning said.
The deal opens the door largest US presence in the last three decades In the Philippines, its oldest ally in Asia, but also a country where some of its citizens resent the United States. colonial remnants WE. The colonial past and traces of abuses committed by American soldiers, denial agreement shown by left forces in the country.
This two bases which he has and has come to own in the US islands, which are among the largest abroad 15,000 soldiersI know They closed in the early 90s, the last of which was sealed in 1992 after protests on the streets and a Senate resolution. Far fewer American soldiers They started coming back in 1999 Under the Visiting Forces Agreement.
strategic importance
This Currently 211 US military personnel Deployed to the islands, they provided intelligence and combat advice to Philippine troops in their fight against Muslim rebels for years. More recently, these US forces have intensified and expanded. co-education War preparation and disaster response, both on the west coast covered by the South China Sea and in the northern region closest to Taiwan, where only the Bashi Canal separates.
This strategic importance It is further intensified by the Philippines. waters from this West Coastfacing the South China Sea, dense underwater vegetation they make them Ideal for the movement of submarines.
Source: Informacion
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