Filipino and American troops hold a joint military exercise in 2019. (Armed Forces of the Philippines handout photo)
By LiCAS.news
Feb 18 2023
Filipino women’s alliance Gabriela has raised concerns over what it described as the country’s “intensified military ties” with Japan, “effectively forming a ‘securing triad’” with the United States.
“This so-called security triad between the Philippines, Japan, and the was created with the rising geopolitical assertion of China in Asia as its pretext,” said Clarice Palce, Gabriela’s secretary general.
“They say it is a means to protect us against China’s aggression. We say: this is simply setting the stage for a proxy war in Asia,” she said in a statement released this week.
Earlier this month, the Philippines and the US announced plans to expand America’s military presence in the country, with access to four more bases.
In a joint announcement, the two countries said they had decided to accelerate the full implementation of the so-called Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which aims to support combined training, exercises and “interoperability.”
Also this month, Japan and the Philippines signed a defensive agreement that aims to boost the military cooperation between the two countries.
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