The United States has secured a deal that will expand America’s military presence in the Philippines through access to four more military bases in the Southeast Asian nation.
The move, announced on Feb. 1, will shore up a critical weakness in U.S. defensive preparations for potential hostilities in the region from China’s communist regime.
The agreement is an expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which also supports combined military training and exercises between the two allies. In addition to access to four new military bases in the Philippines, it allows for the completion by the United State of important projects at five others….