US gets approval to return forces to Philippines Philippines

The Philippines said yesterday it was allowing US forces to broaden their footprint in the Southeast Asian nation, the latest Biden Administration move bolstering an arc of military alliances in the Indo-Pacific to better counter China, including in any future confrontation over Taiwan.

Yesterday’s agreement, which gives US forces access to four more military camps, was announced during a visit by US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. He has led efforts to strengthen America’s security alliances in Asia in the face of China’s increasing assertiveness toward Taiwan and territorial disputes in the South China Sea. ‘‘It’s a big deal,’’ Austin said at a news conference, while noting the agreement did not mean the re-establishment of permanent American bases in the Philippines.

In a televised news conference with his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez Jr, Austin gave assurances of US military support and said the 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty, which obligates the US and the Philippines to help defend each other in major conflicts, ‘‘applies to armed attacks on either of our armed forces, public vessels or aircraft anywhere in the South China Sea’’.

‘‘We discussed concrete actions to address destabilising activities in the waters,’’ Austin said. ‘‘This is part of our effort to modernise our alliance, and these efforts are especially important as the People’s Republic of China continues to advance its illegitimate claims in the West Philippine Sea.’’

American leaders have long sought to reorient US foreign policy to better reflect the rise of China as a significant military and economic competitor, as well as to better deal with the lasting threat from North Korea.

The tensions between China and Taiwan will be high on the agenda next week when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to meet China’s new foreign minister, Qin Gang.

China claims the self-ruled island as its own territory – to be taken by force if necessary – and Beijing has sent warships, bombers, fighter jets and support aircraft into airspace near Taiwan on a near-daily basis. –AP