US gets access to more PH bases

The Philippines has granted the United States access to more of its military bases, the defense chiefs of both countries announced on Thursday, amid concerns over China’s continued assertiveness in the South China Sea and potential invasion of Taiwan.

The agreement by both countries to add four new locations “in strategic areas of the country” under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) capped the visit to Manila by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III, who arrived Tuesday night.

Austin held talks with President Marcos at Malacaang before meeting acting Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.

“From defense perspective,” he…

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