The United States said the Philippines has the sole discretion on how the selected military bases – which it granted Washington access to – will be used amid fears that it would drag Manila into Washington’s own conflicts.
The U.S. and the Philippines held their first 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Washington, D.C. in seven years, with the aim to strengthen strategic cooperation and mark a new era of partnership. Discussions included the ongoing Taiwan crisis and the Philippines announcement of opening four additional bases to U.S. troops under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has assured that these bases will not be used for offensive purposes in the event of a Sino-American conflict over Taiwan, despite concerns of dependence and geopolitical provocation.
This is among the two new initiatives announced following the conduct of the Food Security Dialogue between Manila and Washington’s respective Departments of Agriculture.