Is expansion of Philippine bases for US use on track? Chinese think tank weighs in

The expansion of Philippine military bases made available to U.S. troops is proceeding at a slower pace than expected, according to a report by the Beijing-based South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI).

The think tank analyzed satellite imagery of nine sites covered by the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the United States. The report suggests these facilities reflect U.S. efforts to reposition the Philippines from a "strategic rear" to a "forward hub" for operations aimed at countering China's influence in the region.

The nine EDCA sites include five facilities originally designated under the agreement, plus four additional locations announced in 2023. Notably, three of these new sites are in northern Luzon, close to Taiwan, while another is on Palawan, facing the South China Sea, an area of increasing tension between Manila and Beijing.

According to the SCSPI report, this network of bases is designed to create a strategic posture that "locks the Taiwan Strait from the north and controls the South China Sea from the south." The findings from the Chinese think tank offer a specific perspective on the ongoing defense cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines.