Marcos rules out more military bases for US, ‘pretending to be a stabilizer’

After a summit with US and Japanese leaders in Washington last week which is regarded as primarily targeting China, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said his government has no plan to give US forces access to more military bases in the Philippines. Chinese analysts commented that faced with regional concerns and domestic opposition, Marcos is pretending his government is a “stabilizer” at least on the surface, rather than a “troublemaker,” however, Manila’s provocation is unlikely to stop at any time soon.

According to the AP, Marcos made the remarks during a forum with Manila-based foreign correspondents on Monday.

Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday that Marcos is attempting to sway other countries in the region that Manila is trying to calm down the situation.

He portrays himself as a nice guy that is trying to maintain regional stability in front of the media, Chen said.

Marcos’ remarks came after the first-ever US-Japan-Philippines summit hosted by US President Joe Biden on Thursday in Washington, DC, in which the three nations announced they will deepen military cooperation in face of so-called China’s dangerous and aggressive behavior.

After the summit, geopolitical competition and bloc confrontation in the Asia-Pacific is on the rise, and the risk of maritime friction is also increasing, said Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies.

The Philippines, encouraged and supported by the US and Japan, will not stop its aggressive and provocative actions at sea in the short term, Ding said, noting that the Philippines may even make more infringements and provocative measures in public opinion, jurisprudence and on diplomatic occasions.