Washington has not proposed any action for the Philippines in defense of Taiwan, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Thursday, adding that granting the US access to Philippine military bases would be “useful” if China attacked Taiwan.
Marcos, speaking at the end of a four-day visit to Washington that included a summit with US President Joe Biden and an agreement to update the countries’ nearly 72-year defensive alliance, did not respond directly when asked whether the US could place weapons at the bases if China attacked Taiwan.
The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) reached with the US in 2014 was originally conceived to improve disaster response, Marcos said.
Photo: Reuters
“Now there’s an additional aspect to it,” he said. “And that is ... tensions across the Taiwan Straits seem to be continuing to increase. Then the safety of our Filipino nationals in Taiwan becomes of primordial importance.”
“And so these EDCA sites will also prove to be useful for us should that terrible occurrence come about,” he added, referring to a hypothetical invasion of Taiwan.
Washington “has not proposed any kind of action for the Philippines in terms of taking part in the defense of Taiwan,” Marcos said.
“It’s of a defensive nature and maybe a civil-defense nature, when I talk about the disasters and the evacuation of our Filipino nationals,” he said.
Marcos traveled to Washington seeking clarity on the extent of the US’ commitment to protect his country.
The trip included the first White House visit by a Philippine leader in 10 years.
Experts say the US sees the Philippines as a potential location for weapons to counter a hypothetical Chinese amphibious invasion of Taiwan.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said after a meeting with Philippine officials last month that it was “too early” to discuss what assets the US would like to station at Philippine bases.
Speaking earlier on Thursday to a US think tank, Marcos said he told China’s foreign minister that the EDCA sites were not intended for “offensive action.”
He also said that Washington had not asked the Philippines to provide troops if there were a war.
Biden on Monday said that the US commitment to the defense of the Philippines was “ironclad,” including in the South China Sea, and that the guidelines issued on Wednesday laid out treaty commitments if either side were attacked in the South China Sea.
Marcos said that Manila had agreed in principle to joint South China Sea patrols with the US, Australia, Japan “and even South Korea,” and that he expected them to start this year.
He said the patrols would help preserve freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
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