Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr emphasised on Thursday that the additional military bases in his country, recently granted to United States access, will not be utilised to target China or any other nation.
Marcos spoke at a think-tank event and responded with a simple “no” when questioned if the United States had requested his government contribute troops for combat operations in case of a conflict between Washington and Beijing concerning Taiwan.
These comments were made amidst heightened tensions between the United States and China, who find themselves embroiled in a geopolitical rivalry. China has upped the pressure on not just Taiwan, which it considers its own territory, but also the Philippines through what Marcos referred to as the “intimidation” of vessels in the South China Sea.
In February, Marcos granted the United States…
