US military poised to return to Subic Bay, Philippines after 30 year absence, to counter China’s presence
- Manila and Washington are negotiating about setting up five more locations for the US military
- Subic Bay, which faces the South China Sea, was a US Naval Base for 94 years until 30 years ago
The US military is likely to return to Subic Bay 30 years after relinquishing what was once their largest military base in Asia, due to concerns over China’s increasing maritime assertiveness, a top official of the local body overseeing the free port zone said.
The former US Naval Base Subic Bay, which faces the South China Sea, has become a bustling free port that employs about 150,000 locals, administered by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.
Manila and Washington have been in negotiations over setting up five more locations in the Asian country to build US military facilities and preposition weapons under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement.
Rolen Paulino, chairman of the SBMA, told Kyodo News on Wednesday that he would be “very surprised” if Subic Bay does not become an EDCA site, as “during war, time is of the essence,” a day before the 30th anniversary of the US Navy’s departure from the harbour that it had controlled for nearly 94 years.
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A series of events were held Thursday at the free port to mark the 30th Founding Anniversary of the SBMA, including a public display of civilian aeroplanes and a Philippine Navy helicopter at the Subic airport which is now being repurposed for surveillance and aviation training.
Signed in 2014, the EDCA is likely to continue beyond its 10-year period, as indicated by the United States’ renewed interest in establishing new bases in the Philippines and fresh funding for upgrading existing EDCA sites.
