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US to help Philippines upgrade key defence bases amid rising South China Sea tensions
- The upgrade of an airport and naval base are part of a US$100 million plan to expand a defence cooperation agreement between the two allies
- Amid ‘continued Chinese aggression’ Manila is pursuing a strategy of increasing its military position to help deter Beijing
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An increased US military presence at air and naval bases in the Philippines could help deter China from launching a possible armed conflict, analysts have said, as Washington and Manila prepare to upgrade some bases near Taiwan.
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The Philippines is reportedly seeking help from the US to build a pier and repair an airstrip at Camilo Osias Naval Base in the northern Cagayan province, which the US has access to under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) signed between Washington and Manila.
There is also a plan to add a fuel storage facility and command centre in Lal-lo Airport, also in Cagayan province.
US Indo-Pacific Command head Admiral John Aquilino and Philippine armed forces chief Romeo Brawner Jnr inspected the two sites earlier this month and discussed further expanding the number of bases US forces could access under the agreement.
“We are not just looking at how we can operate together more efficiently, but also we are looking at the future operations that we are going to conduct,” Brawner said. “All of these factors should come in as we decide on which projects we’re really going to pursue.”
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US and Philippines launch ‘biggest ever’ joint marine exercises near disputed waters
US and Philippines launch ‘biggest ever’ joint marine exercises near disputed waters
The EDCA is a defence agreement signed between the US and the Philippines in 2014 that allows the US military to rotate troops into the Southeast Asian nation for extended stays and allows Washington to build and operate facilities for both US and Philippine forces.
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