China accuses US of dragging Philippines in Taiwan dispute 

AMERICAN access to four more military bases in the Philippines under their Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) would drag the Philippines in tensions between the US and China over Taiwan, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said on Sunday.

“If the new sites are located in Cagayan and Isabela, which are close to Taiwan, does the US really intend to help the Philippines in disaster relief with these EDCA sites?” it said in a statement, citing questions raised by “visionary people” opposed to the military deal.

“And is it really in the national interest f the Philippines o get dragged by the US to interfere in the Taiwan question?” it added.

The statement, posted on the Chinese Embassy’s website, was attributed to an unnamed spokesman.

The embassy said people have been asking the government of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to disclose the locations of the new EDCA sites.

US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson on Friday told GMA Network the sites would not only help provincial authorities enhance defense capabilities but also boost their economy.

Last month, the Philippine government increased US access to nine of its military bases. The government also said projects at five existing EDCA sites were almost finished.

Under the 2014 pact, Philippine military bases may be used for joint training, pre-positioning of equipment and building facilities such as runways, fuel storage and military housing.

The Philippines and US have yet to disclose the location of the new EDCA sites. Last year, a former Philippine military chief said Washington had sought access to bases on the northern land mass of Luzon, the closest part of the Philippines to Taiwan, and on the island of Palawan, facing the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

The five accessible EDCA sites are the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu, and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City. The US has allotted more than $82 million for these sites.

“Peace and development remain the theme of this era and the call of peoples around the world,” the Chinese Embassy said. “However, the US… keeps upgrading military cooperation with the Philippines by adding EDCA bases and military deployment in this country.”

While the US claims that such cooperation is supposed to help disaster relief efforts in the Philippines and some Americans tout the EDCA sites as drivers of economic growth, “it is plain and simple that those moves are part of the US efforts to encirle and contain China through its military alliance with this country,” the embassy said.

“To bundle the Philippines into the chariots of geopolitical strife will seriously harm Philippine national interests and endanger egional peace and stability,” it added.

The US Embassy in Manila on Friday said the US and Philippines enjoy an alliance based on deep historical, economic and cultural ties, and their shared democratic values.

‘FREEDOM OF RAMPAGE’
“The United States and the Philippines stand together as friends, partners and allies,” Press Attaché Kanishka Gangopadhyay told reporters in a Viber message. “Now and always, the US commitment to the defense of the Philippines is ironclad, and we are committed to strengthening our economic and investment relationship.”

He declined to comment any further when asked about the Chinese Embassy’s statement on Sunday.

The Chinese Embassy noted that several top Philippine officials including ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte have questioned the wisdom of increased US access to Philippine military bases.

The EDCA allows US access to Philippine military bases for joint training, pre-positioning of equipment and building facilities such as runways, fuel storage and military housing, but not for a permanent presence.

The Chinese Embassy accused the US of being concerned not about freedom of navigation in the South China Sea but about “freedom of rampage of its warships.”

“The US military as been coming ll the way from the other side of the Pacific to stir up trouble in the South China Sea and ganging up with its allies from other parts of the world to flex muscle n the South China Sea,” it said.

“By doing these, the US has not only heightened tension, driven wedge between China and the Philippines, but also has disturbed and upset the oint effort of countries in this region to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea,” it added.

Manila has filed 10 diplomatic protests against China this year and 195 in 2022, according to the Philippine Foreign Affairs department.

On Tuesday,  the Philippine Coast Guard said more than 40 Chinese boats were still roaming near Thitu Island, locally known as Pag-asa, weeks after it accused its Chinese counterpart of endangering the crew of a resupply ship at Second Thomas Shoal.

“Now that China and the Philippines, among other countries of the region, are at a critical juncture of post-COVID ecovery, we should keep to the right track of maintaining good-neighborliness and attaining mutual benefit rather than getting distracted by forces who are fanning the flame and driving a wedge between us, even less inviting a bully into our community,” the Chinese Embassy said.

“We need to focus on cooperation and development, and truly safeguard, promote and build peace, stability, prosperity of our region and bring more tangible benefits to people of our two countries,” it added.

The US had a naval base in Subic, Olongapo until 1991, when the Philippine Senate rejected the renewal of the lease. The decision led to the removal of an American air base in Clark, Pampanga.

EDCA was built on a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and 1999 visiting forces agreement between the Philippines and US.

The latest development is seen as an important effort on the part of Washington to keep China at bay in the South China Sea, over which Beijing has sweeping claims, and deter any moves by China against self-ruled Taiwan, which is just 390 kilometers away from northern Philippines. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan