The Philippines identified the locations of four new military bases the US will gain access to, as part of an expanded defense agreement analysts say is aimed at combating China.
The four bases include three on the main island of Luzon, close to Taiwan, and one in Palawan province in the South China Sea . The US has stepped up efforts to expand its Indo-Pacific security options in recent months, amid mounting concerns over China’s aggressive territorial posturing throughout the region.
Galvez said Balabac sits on key sea lines of communication in the South China Sea, where Manila and Beijing have competing territorial claims, including over islands where Beijing has built up military fortifications. Collin Koh, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said the bases would play a role in any potential conflict in the region.