US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will discuss accelerating the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and "modernizing" the long-standing alliance to handle emerging threats in the region during his visit to the Philippines.
This visit is happening at a time of heightened regional tension between China and Taiwan, on top of the decades-old problems in the South China Sea.
Wheels down in the 🇵🇭 Philippines where I’ll meet with Secretary of National Defense Galvez & other senior leaders to build on our strong bilateral relationship, discuss a range of security initiatives, and advance our shared vision of a #freeandopenpacific. pic.twitter.com/Cu5lhfmqBh
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) January 31, 2023
Lloyd Austin will meet with high-ranking Philippine leaders, including President Ferdinand "Bong Bong" Marcos Jr. and acting Secretary of National Defense Carlito Galvez Jr., this week in Manila, according to the Philippine Star.
By expanding US military access to the Philippines, Washington would gain a foothold in the contested South China Sea, barely 200 miles south of Taiwan. Lloyd Austin's Philippines visit is expected to infuriate Beijing, which regards much of the contested waterway as its own, per CNN.
The United States maintains a military presence in the Philippines under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which authorizes the deployment of US military personnel to bases in the Philippines and the joint construction of military infrastructure.
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US Seeks to Bolster Alliances in the Indo-Pacific
The US Department of Defense hopes to "bolster regional alliances and partnerships" to keep the region stable despite the evolving security situation during the Lloyd Austin Philippines visits.
"We see the investments that we're making to advance our allies as grounded in the recognition that they are real force multipliers in our efforts to sustain a free and open Indo-Pacific," the senior official said, as per the US Department of Defense.
After Vice President Kamala Harris's November visit, the Lloyd Austin Philippines visit is the latest high-ranking US official travel to the Philippines.
Marcos' predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, had developed warm relations with China and Russia. He had vowed to cut ties with the United States, expel visiting American troops, and scrap a significant defense deal.
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