US to build larger military presence in Philippines
The United States and the Philippines announced on Thursday an agreement to expand American military presence in the Southeast Asian country. As part of the deal, U.S. forces would be granted access to four more Philippine military camps. It gives Washington new ground to ramp up deterrence against China. The agreement was made public during the visit of U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Austin has led efforts to strengthen America's security alliances in Asia amid China's increasing assertiveness toward Taiwan and in the disputed South China Sea. As meetings were going on, a group of protesters held signs and chanted slogans against the agreement.
