Philippines – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed on Monday that his administration does not plan to give the US military access to more Philippine army bases.
According to Marcos, “China’s hostility in areas of the disputed South China Sea remains the reason for the US military presence in the Philippines.”
Marcos said during a forum with foreign correspondents in Manila, without going into details, that “the Philippines has no plans to establish any additional American bases on its territory, nor will it allow the American military to access any other bases.”
Asked if he was concerned that allowing the US military access to Philippine bases was what caused China’s measures in the South China Sea, Marcos said the presence of US forces was a response to China’s moves.
He added: “These are reactions to what happened in the South China Sea, and to the aggressive actions that we had to deal with,” according to the Associated Press, referring to Chinese coast guard ships using water cannons and lasers to expel Filipino ships from the disputed area. On it in the South China Sea.
He also pointed to the clashes and restrictions on Filipino fishermen and sea barriers to prevent ships from reaching Scarborough Shoal, which is located in the Philippine Economic Zone.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in 2022, has allowed US troops and weapons access to four additional Philippine military bases, bringing the number of bases where US forces can rotate indefinitely under the 2014 agreement to nine.
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2024-04-17 14:50:34