New US military bases in Asia-Pacific ‘likely to be temporary’ for troop flexibility
- Former adviser to US Indo-Pacific Command chief says Pentagon wants locations that aren’t permanent to allow forces to be rotated as needed
- But analysts say nature of stations won’t deter Beijing from using ‘coercive diplomacy’ on host countries
Any new US military bases in the Asia-Pacific region are likely to be “temporary” to maximise troop flexibility and in line with the Pentagon’s agreement with Manila, according to a former special assistant to the US Indo-Pacific Command chief.
But analysts said it would not matter if the American bases were temporary or permanent – Beijing would still take “coercive measures” in the region when it felt they were needed.
Eric Sayers, an adjunct senior fellow with the defence programme at the Centre for a New American Security, said US military bases did not have to be permanent, the most important thing was improved troop mobilisation and strategic capacity.
“[Temporary bases] are designed to build more resiliency and ensure that China does not conclude it can quickly win a war by paralysing American military power,” said Sayers, who advised the former commander, Admiral Harry Harris, on strategic engagements in the Indo-Pacific.
“For instance, we negotiated the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement with the Philippines in 2014 to enhance our alliance there and give it new tools to deal with Chinese maritime coercion.”
