After a decade of suffering China’s aggressive acts against Philippine vessels, fishermen and energy exploration efforts in waters within the archipelago country’s Exclusive Economic Zone, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently welcomed an expanded US military presence.

Marcos now has responded to continued Chinese belligerence by granting US forces access to five additional military bases on Philippine territory.

In a direct rebuke to China, two of these new bases are on Palawan, one of the disputed Spratly Islands, which are also claimed, as is much else, by Communist China. A US military presence on Palawan will be a direct challenge to the Chinese Communist Party’s plan to ultimately seize Taiwan: Palawan is the closest large Philippine island to Taiwan and the equally disputed waters of the South China Sea. US air and naval assets on Palawan could potentially play a large role in supporting the Free World forces against China.

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Despite Chinese President Xi Jinping having agreed to manage maritime differences through consultation, during Marcos’ state visit to China in January, the Chinese Coast Guard initiated another incident with the Philippines in disputed waters in the South China Sea. A Chinese Coast Guard vessel on February 6, 2023, lasered a Philippine Coast Guard ship. The Chinese vessel directed a military-grade laser at the bridge crew of the Philippine ship twice, temporarily blinding a Filipino sailor.

Read more: Gatestone Institute