When the U.S. and the Philippines announced a major agreement in February to expand American military access to Philippine bases, it was unclear what sites would be part of the deal.
On Monday, however, the Philippine government finally revealed the four new “suitable and mutually beneficial” locations that U.S. troops will have access to—sites which reflect rising concerns from both sides over China’s role in the region, particularly when it comes to Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Both American and Philippine officials have steadily reiterated that the new agreement does not mean the U.S. will operate its own military bases within the Southeast Asian archipelago. Rather, the deal expands upon the two countries’ 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which already allows American forces to train together with Filipino soldiers and be indefinitely stationed at five locations. Now, the U.S. military can additionally access three more areas in the northern provinces of Cagayan and Isabela—including a naval base, an army camp, and an airport—as well as a fourth undisclosed site in Balabac town, the southernmost island of the western province of Palawan.
“These new locations will strengthen the interoperability of the U.S. and Philippine Armed Forces and allow us to respond more seamlessly together to address a range of shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region,” the U.S. Department of Defense said in a statement on Monday.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told reporters late last month that he had to overcome opposition from local government officials, who were wary about the prospect of hosting U.S. forces and getting caught in the crossfire of potential conflict with China. “We explained to them why it was…
