The U.S. has gained access to four additional military bases in the Philippines.
The recently sealed agreement reinforces an arc of U.S. alliances around China that extends from Australia to Japan.
- The
U.S. and the Philippines announced on Thursday that the U.S. military
will gain access to four new bases, adding to five other bases from
which it runs operations in the country.
- The statement was
delivered after Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin traveled to Manila to
meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday.
- Marcos
said ahead of the meeting that the Philippines needed "help from our
partners and allies,” to manage a “terribly complex situation," but did
not specify any particular threats.
- A senior U.S. official said
before the visit that gaining more military access to the Philippines
was "a priority for the Biden administration.”
