Marcos defends US military presence, which China opposes

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has defended his decision to allow a larger United States military presence in the country as vital to territorial defense. That’s despite China’s fierce opposition and warning that it would drag the Philippines into geopolitical strife. The Marcos administration announced last month it would allow rotating batches of American forces to stay in four more Philippine military camps in addition to five local bases earlier designated under a 2014 defense pact. On Wednesday, Marcos said the four new sites would be announced soon and would include areas in the northern Philippines. That location has infuriated Chinese officials because it would provide U.S. forces a staging ground close to southern China and Taiwan.