MANILA, Philippines — The United States said the Philippines has the sole discretion on how the selected military bases—which it granted Washington access to—will be used amid fears that it would drag Manila into US' own conflicts.
“These are not our sites, we do not have any rights to these sites,” US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said in an interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel’s “Headstart” on Wednesday.
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“It’s not as if somehow, somebody snaps a finger and all of a sudden everything is open to the United States: Everything we do in the Philippines is at the invitation of the Philippine government.”
Additional locations identified under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sparked worries as some raised that these could be used in a war against China over Taiwan. With the Philippines’ proximity to Taiwan, many expressed fear that Manila could be dragged into the conflict at any moment.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo has already said that while the agreement allows the US to store equipment for military training and humanitarian assistance operations, it will not be used to store equipment in case of a Taiwan-related operation.
'It's not about China'
Last month, the Palace announced that the new EDCA locations will be at Cagayan’s Naval Base Camilo Osias and Lal-lo Airport, Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Isabela, and Balacbac Island in Palawan. Three of these sites are located in the northern part of the country, facing Taiwan.
The sites were identified based on the Strategic Basic Plan of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. There are now nine EDCA sites and the US estimates its project investments to total over $100 million by the end of its fiscal year in September.
China did not welcome this development—saying it is disruptive to regional stability.
Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian two weeks later “advised” the Philippines to “unequivocally oppose” Taiwan’s independence instead of “stoking the fire” by giving the US access to its military bases if Manila truly cares about the safety of Filipino workers deployed there.
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But Carlson said Washington's commitment to Manila can "stand on its own."
“It’s not about any third country,” Carlson said. “Certainly, [it’s] not about China alone—it’s about what we do together and it dates back decades so I understand that that argument is out there but it’s not why we’re committed to the Philippines.”