Tag Archives: Military Presence

23 April 2014

Philippines to facilitate US reassertion of military presence in Asia

US President Obama is expected to announce an agreement with the Philippines, that would offer American ships and planes the most extensive access to bases in the region, since 1992, when the US relinquished its naval installation at Subic Bay. The agreement would be the centerpiece of Obama’s visit to Asia this week.

The New York Times reports that such an agreement could antagonise China, which is locked in a dispute with the Philippines over Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground now occupied by Chinese vessels. Like the 2011 agreement to deploy Marines to Darwin, Australia, such a presence would theoretically give America more capacity to help its allies in territorial disputes with the Chinese. (more…)

Source: The New York Times | Obama’s Strategic Shift to Asia Is Hobbled by Pressure at Home and Crises Abroad

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