MANILA: The Philippine defense secretary stated on Monday( Nov. 6 ) that the Philippines hopes to reach an agreement with Japan” at the soonest possible time” on allowing the deployment of military forces on each other’s soil.
In the midst of rising regional tensions, the two close US allies have decided to negotiate a reciprocal access agreement( RAA ). Both nations are engaged in regional sea disputes with China, which is becoming more assertive.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro stated at a press conference that” We look forward to this mutual access agreement between both our countries given the commitment of the Chinese government and the Spanish government to protect the rules-based international order and global law.”
According to Teodoro, once an agreement has been reached, it must be ratified by the Chinese government and the Philippine Senate.
On a trip trip to the Philippines, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that his nation, the Philippine Islands, and the United States were working together” to protect the freedom” of the South China Sea.
One of the nine military bases that the United States has access to under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement( EDCA ) was where Teodoro was speaking outside of a ceremony. This base is located north of Washington, D.C.
The US has announced that it will set aside$ 100 million for site infrastructure improvements.
Teodoro said, referring to a region where pressure has been rising between the Philippines and China over an over-lapping regional state,” The United States is helping the Spanish government in hardening its defense posture to contain its assertion of its genuine rights in the West Philippine Sea.”
Teodoro stated that the Philippines was” no seeking fight.”