The United States says it has a common interest with the Philippines in protecting freedom of navigation in the South China Sea but does not want to re-establish a military base on its territory. As senior diplomats and defense officials from both countries began two days of annual strategic talks, both sides said the focus was on increasing military cooperation in other ways, such as joint exercises.
Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde, a Defense Department spokeswoman said, "The idea that we are looking to establish U.S. bases or permanently station U.S. forces in the Philippines, or anywhere else in Southeast Asia, as part of a China containment strategy is patently false."
Philippine defense spokesman Peter Paul Galvez said the Philippines will discuss requests for an additional U.S. Coast Guard cutter, a squadron of F-16 fighter jets and other weapons. |