Defense Secretary Austin announced a deal allowing the U.S. access to four more sites on the island nation, a strategic boon.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III recently announced a deal with the Philippines that would allow the U.S. access to four more sites on that island nation, resulting in better control of the eastern portion of the South China Sea.
Sui-Lee Wee of the New York Times summarizes:
The deal comes as Washington has tried to reaffirm its influence in the region amid a broader effort to counter Chinese aggression, reinforcing partnerships with strategic allies and bolstering relations that have soured in recent years. Fears have also grown over a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the island democracy that China claims as its territory. Among the five treaty allies that the United States has in Asia, the Philippines and Japan are the most geographically close to Taiwan, with the Philippines’ northernmost island of Itbayat just 93 miles away.
On Thursday, Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry, accused the United States of threatening regional peace and stability with its announcement.
“Out of self-interest, the United States continues to strengthen its military deployment in the region with a zero-sum mentality, which is exacerbating tension in the region and endangering regional peace and stability,” she said. “Countries in the region should remain vigilant against this and avoid being coerced and used by the United States.”
In a news conference, the U.S. defense secretary, Lloyd J. Austin III, stressed that these new sites were not permanent. The last U.S. soldiers left the Philippines in 1990s, and it is now against the country’s Constitution for foreign troops to be permanently based there.
While some less hawkish Americans are within their rights to decry the move as unnecessary or antagonistic, there is a lot to like about the U.S. and the Philippines cooperating in this way — if for no other reason than that the U.S. has significant self-interest in making sure China stays close to its shores and away from Taiwan’s.
As John Lehman and Bing West wrote in these pages last year:
American policy toward Taiwan is one of “strategic ambiguity.” If China attacks Taiwan, U.S. forces may fight or not fight. Chairman Xi’s bellicosity signals that he believes we wouldn’t fight. By seizing Taiwan, China would control $6 trillion in seaborne trade and cut us off from South Korea and Japan. Simply put, our own security depends upon a willingness to fight for Taiwan’s freedom.
Furthermore, it’s nice to have friends. The United States’ maritime supremacy depends on international fraternity, with support functions and ports permitting American vessels berths and hospitality. Roving about a map of the South China Sea, you’ll see that America enjoys high approval from the Philippines (~80 percent), Malaysia (~54 percent), Vietnam (~84 percent), and (Taiwan ~61 percent) — i.e., all of the major players that ring that fraught body of water.
#FullText of Press Statement by @SecPompeo @StateDept, “U.S. Position on #Maritime Claims in the #SouthChinaSea,” 13 July 2020:https://t.co/phLiB7MirT
"The United States champions a free & open Indo-Pacific. …"https://t.co/kXO1qbIsWm
(Maps from @NavalInstitute @USNIBooks) pic.twitter.com/jVLPaveojX
— Andrew Erickson 艾立信 (@AndrewSErickson) July 13, 2020
It’s worth noting here that the Philippines and Malaysia not only took part in our RIMPAC exercises but also that Malaysia was one of the four countries to live-fire in the crimson SINKEX (which, sadly, meant allied explosives put an end to the USS Rodney M. Davis, my former ship). Friends help friends blow up floating hulks.
If you’re into maps, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative has some excellent interactive ones — from maritime claims to China’s power-projection network.
To conclude, bases in the north of the Philippines are about as physically proximate as U.S. forces can get to China’s and frustrating its expansionism in the South China Sea — protecting our allies and trade. That the Philippines, a fascinating country that has long provided our armed forces and medical fields with their young people, is willing to treat with us after our 1992 departure from Subic Bay is a positive development — a welcome win during a series of administrations that have seen our international standing weakened while we renege on promises and abandon allies to misery.
So good on the Biden administration; credit where due.