Philippine authorities have announced four new military bases that the United States will gain access to as part of an expanded defense deal that analysts say is aimed at China.
Three of the four bases are on the main island of Luzon, which is close to Taiwan, and one is in the South China Sea province of Palawan.
The US has stepped up efforts to expand in the Indo-Pacific amid concerns from China in recent months. The new sites, opened under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), mean the US will allow its troops to be stationed at nine Philippine bases, including the strategically important Balabac Island, which is close to Chinese positions in the South China Sea.
