A Chinese envoy stated the Philippines is “stoking the fire” over Taiwan’s independence by giving the US entry to navy websites close to the Taiwan Strait underneath an expanded protection settlement.

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While Manila has adhered to the one-China precept, the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines stated the choice “has caused widespread and grave concern among Chinese people.” Huang Xilian was talking Friday at a discussion board in Manila on China-Philippines relations.

The Philippines this month recognized the 4 new navy websites the US can have entry to underneath their Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA. Three are close to Taiwan and a fourth faces the disputed South China Sea.

The new places deliver the variety of navy websites the US can entry within the Philippines to 9, underneath the pact signed in 2014 which permits the US to rotate its troops for extended stays in addition to construct and function amenities on these bases.

“Obviously, the US intends to take advantage of the new EDCA sites to interfere in the situation across the Taiwan Strait to serve its geopolitical goals and advance its anti-China agenda,” Huang stated. That’s on the expense of the Philippines and the area, he added.

The US stated in February the brand new websites — which weren’t recognized then — would enable for extra speedy assist for humanitarian and climate-related disasters within the Philippines, and reply to different shared challenges.

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US Wins Expanded Access to Philippine Bases Amid China Tensions

Philippine Defense Chief Carlito Galvez Jr. stated earlier this month the places are “very significant” and “very strategic” together with the realm close to the South China Sea which is a key route for round $3 trillion price of traded items. It’s the Philippines’ “responsibility to the international community” to safe the realm, he stated.

The US and the Philippines on Tuesday started the most important model of their flagship navy workouts, a high-profile show of their renewed alliance that features live-fire coaching concentrating on a decommissioned vessel close to the South China Sea.

It got here the identical week China held its personal drills close to Taiwan after the island’s President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a go to to the US, the place she met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and different American lawmakers.

Huang stated China “will not renounce the use of force” and reserves “the option of taking all necessary measures” to protect towards exterior interference and all separatist actions on the Taiwan difficulty.

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He stated “some” folks have linked the choice behind the websites to the protection of 150,000 Filipinos working in Taiwan, however added the international staff can be higher served if the Philippines didn’t provide the places.