The United States is increasing its military presence in the Philippines, both countries announced on Thursday, adding American access TO four more bases and affirming the Southeast Asian nation’s role as a key strategic partner for Washington in the event of A Conflict with China over Taiwan.

The deal was announced as US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in the Philippines on a trip that began on Tuesday. The deal would allow Washington place military equipment and rotate your troops through nine Philippine-controlled military bases. It would be the first time in 30 years that the United States has such a large military presence in the country.

Austin’s visit comes amid growing fears in the region of a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the democratic island that China claims as its territory.

Of the five treaty allies the United States has in Asia, the Philippines is among the closest geographically in Taiwan, with its northernmost island of Itbayat only 93 miles away. US officials say they are gaining access to the northernmost islands of the Philippines is critical to counter China in case it attacks Taiwan.

The Philippines is the oldest treaty ally of the United States in Asia. Washington is stepping up its presence in the country after relations deteriorated during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s six-year term, which ended last year.

During his tenure, Duterte frequently criticized Washington and complained that the United States, the country’s former colonial ruler, had created defense treaties that weighed heavily in favor of Americans. He said US troops took away their modern weapons after conducting military exercises.

US officials became concerned when Duterte threatened to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement, a long-standing defense pact that allows for large-scale joint military exercises between the two allies. He also threatened to ignore the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, the deal that allows the United States to station military equipment and troops in the Philippines.

The exchange with Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Since he took office in June, the president Ferdinand Marco Jr. tried to rekindle the relationship of his country with the United States, surprising many foreign policy experts. During the election campaign, Marcos had indicated that he would tryforge closer ties with Chinaa hallmark of Duterte’s tenure.

Marcos, son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, has since said that he “cannot see the Philippines in the future without having the United States as a partner.”

According to the plan, at least 16,000 Filipino and American soldiers HE they will train together in the northern province of Ilocos Norte, the stronghold of the Marcos family, later this year.

Three decades ago, the US presence in the Philippines was a sore point for many Filipinos. Military bases held by the Americans for nearly a century were considered they were a remnant of American colonialism. In 1992, the United States had to close its last US base in the Philippines following street protests and a decision by the Philippine Senate.

But when Chinese started his raids military forces in the South China Sea, public opinion on the US presence in the Philippines has changed.

The Philippines is now hoping to get US support to defend itself Beijing’s continued military buildup in the South China Sea. Manila and Beijing have been locked in a long-standing disagreement over the disputed waters which both sides claim as their own.

Among some, the expected increase in the US military presence in the Philippines remains controversial.

In a statement, Renato Reyes, secretary general of nationalist political activist group Bayan, said Filipinos “should not allow our country to be used as a base for any US military intervention in the region.”

“Allow the United States to use our facilities will drag us into this conflict, this is not in line with our national interests,” Reyes said.

As part of the deal announced on Thursday, the Americans also agreed increase its humanitarian assistance in the Philippines after any natural disaster.

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