19 December, 2012
The US will significantly increase its military presence in the
Philippines – an announcement that has angered China, whose Communist
Party chief urged his military to prepare for a struggle and whose
state-run media have criticized the agreement.
The US announced in 2011 that it would increase joint training
exercises and ship visits to the Philippines in order to counter China’s
growing influence in the region. These visits have been welcomed by
Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.
This month, the US
announced that it would increase the number of troops, aircraft and
ships that rotate through the Philippines. The announcement was made
during the 3rd Phillipines-United States Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in
Manila, which was held Dec. 11-12. The two countries are expected to
sign a five-year joint US-Philippine military exercise plan in their
upcoming meetings, The Diplomat reported.
“There has been no
discussion yet on specifics [of in-country military equipment] … (these
are) policy consultations and the specifics would be determined by the
technical working groups,”
Lorenzo Batino, the Philippines deputy defense minister said at the annual dialogue.
The
US presence would likely guard against Chinese influence and try to
contain the Communist country’s rising military and economic power.
China has territorial claims across the South China Sea and dominates
relations with members of the Associations of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN), including the Philippines, with which it has overlapping claims
of the Spratly islands. For years, the US has helped build the
Philippine’s military and security forces and offered financial
assistance in exchange for greater American presence in the country.
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