US, Philippines agree on locations covered by defense pact

[rooster59]

US, Philippines agree on locations covered by defense pact

MATTHEW PENNINGTON, Associated Press


WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and the Philippines announced Friday five locations where American forces will have access under a new defense pact, including one facing disputed islands in the South China Sea.

The announcement came at strategic talks in Washington, where the allies reiterated their opposition to the militarization of outposts in those waters, where six Asian governments have competing claims.

China has built artificial islands with airstrips and military facilities as it asserts its claim to virtually all the South China Sea, including land features claimed by the Philippines.

Another of the five Philippine military bases where the U.S. will have access is on southern Mindanao island, where the U.S. is concerned about the presence of Muslim extremist groups.

The 10-year defense pact was signed by U.S. and Philippine officials in 2014, but it only got the green light this January after the Philippine Supreme Court ruled it was constitutional. It is a key part of the Obama administration effort to reassert its presence in Asia.

Philip Goldberg, the U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, said the pact would allow the U.S. to rotate more forces and military assets through that country on a basis of mutual agreement with Manila. It can also conduct construction and position supplies, including for humanitarian relief.

Goldberg said the U.S. is not establishing its own bases as it had in the Philippines until 1992. They were closed amid a tide of Philippine nationalism.

Senior U.S. defense official Amy Searight said Defense Secretary Ash Carter would travel to the Philippines in April to discuss implementation of the pact.

Goldberg said he could not set a date for when U.S. forces would be deployed but he expected movement of supplies and personnel to begin "very soon."

U.S. Defense Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino said the Philippines was a "reliable partner" and was looking forward to working with the U.S. to develop the agreed-upon locations.

The implementation of the defense pact comes at a time of heightened tension in the South China Sea and will be opposed by China, which views the increased U.S. presence in the region as an attempt at containment.

The locations are at Antonio Bautista Air Base on western Palawan island, which faces the hotly disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea; Lumbia Air Base on southern Mindanao island; Basa Air Base and Fort Magsaysay, north of the capital, Manila; and Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base on Cebu.

U.S. officials say the pact will also enable it help train the Philippines' military but isn't aimed at China.

"It is not aimed at any country, but rather at improving our bilateral relationship" with the Philippines and boosting the U.S. rebalance to Asia, Goldberg told reporters.

Searight said the administration has notified Congress that it intends to spend $50 million on boosting the maritime security of Southeast Asian nations, and most would go to the Philippines.

The Philippines is far outgunned by China, and has sought legal recourse as well as bolstering its security.

By midyear, an international tribunal is expected to rule on a case brought by the Philippines that challenges the legal basis of China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea.

Daniel Russel, top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, said that would be a critical moment for "rules-based" future of the region, although China says it is not bound by the arbitration.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-03-19

[bangon04]

"Goldberg said the U.S. is not establishing its own bases as it had in the Philippines until 1992. They were closed amid a tide of Philippine nationalism."

and look how well the Philippines government has demonstrated its national pride and defense since with investment and self-sufficiency.

[DeaconJohn]

"Goldberg said the U.S. is not establishing its own bases as it had in the Philippines until 1992. They were closed amid a tide of Philippine nationalism."

and look how well the Philippines government has demonstrated its national pride and defense since with investment and self-sufficiency.

Assuming that you're not being sarcastic, I agree.

The Philippines has gotten along very well without a major US military presence.

Prostitutes and con-artists are the only people who miss them.

Only those who stand to profit in some way would welcome them back.

[2fishin2]

"Goldberg said the U.S. is not establishing its own bases as it had in the Philippines until 1992. They were closed amid a tide of Philippine nationalism."

and look how well the Philippines government has demonstrated its national pride and defense since with investment and self-sufficiency.

Assuming that you're not being sarcastic, I agree.

The Philippines has gotten along very well without a major US military presence.

Prostitutes and con-artists are the only people who miss them.

Only those who stand to profit in some way would welcome them back.

FYI the US military has had a continued, strong presence in the country for many years now. Although the bases were closed, the military is still there using the PI bases as their home.

[ehw200]

oh great now I can take Palawan off my tourist destination once the US military arrives it will become another Angeles which they created last time they were there same as they do the world over if I want to visit a whorehouse angles is a lot closer

[Publicus]

Manila and Washington announced today that CCP Chinese coast guard hard rubber boats launched from larger vessels rammed Philippine civilian fishing boats off Scarborough Shoal March 5th and again on the 6th.

CCP since it seized the Shoal in 2012 after a months long staredown against the Phils has prohibited Phils' fishermen accessing the long traditional fishing area. It is a reescalation of the sovereignty disputes between the two.

The current Phils defense minister Volaiire Guzman said late last year the Phils regrets tossing the US bases, that had the US bases continued to exist in the Phils none of this aggressive CCP bullying would be occurring..

Manila and Japan have already signed agreements for Japanese military aircraft and naval vessels to operate in Phils waters and for amphibious joint exercises to begin.

We also have this commentary by a US businessman who for a long time has done commerce in the Phils...

Just as important as the strategic reasons for the renewed U.S. presence, I think, is the deteriorating public image of China in the Philippines, as compared to just a few years ago – and particularly, the deteriorating public image on the Philippine left, which includes some of the same people who, back in the 1980s and early 1990s, pushed for the U.S. military to leave the country.

Five or six years ago, during trips to the Philippines, I found many opinion leaders saw in China’s rise a potential counterweight to the U.S. presence, and also an excellent new source of investment. But since then, allegations of graft in Chinese investments in the Philippines, and anger of alleged environmental and labor abuses at China-funded mining projects (which have been exhaustively detailed in the Philippines media) have seriously soured the public image of China in the Philippines.

Now, activists, union leaders, and others on the left that I speak with condemn China, and, almost by default, have warmer feelings toward the U.S., and by extension, American investment.

http://blogs.cfr.org/asia/2012/01/26/u-s-philippines-relations-benefit-from-china%E2%80%99s-poor-public-image/

The Beijing Bullies make Darwin look like Bertrand Russell...

Power asymmetry in South China Sea

“China is a big country and other countries are small countries, and that’s just a fact,” China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said at the 17th Asean Regional Forum, after several countries, including the United States, had raised concerns on the South China Sea.

The statement is one that people on the Chinese side may regret, as it may be quoted as representing an imperious attitude by China toward its smaller and weaker neighbors.

Its recent assertive behavior in the South China Sea and East China Sea, the two areas that have the biggest impact on Southeast Asian stability, comes across as big power behavior.

One wonders if these are signals of things to come and if our worst fears in Southeast Asia of China’s big power footprint are becoming realized.

Read more: http://opinion.inquirer.net/6896/power-asymmetry-in-south-china-sea#ixzz43NmMr5TU

Only the CCP Dictators in Beijing could pull off this trick of magic.....

Japanese military chief Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano said he wants to conduct more military exercises with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, particularly amphibious landing exercises that are regularly conducted between the Philippines and the US.

"Admiral Kawano expressed interest in conducting more exercises with the PH in the future, particularly amphibious landing exercises and amphibious operations," the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) said in a statement

Defense ties between the former World War II enemies have grown since tension in the region escalated due to disputes in maritime territories. The two countries are protesting the continued aggressiveness of China, which claims almost the entire South China Sea.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/102626-japan-amphibious-landing-exercises-philippines

The Phils and Japan are not the only WW2 former and bitter enemies cooperating to contain the CCP Dictators in Beijing.

Edited March 19, 2016 by Publicus