The U.S. Navy will build a discreet yet strategically placed hub for repairs and maintenance to Philippine military vessels in a western region facing the South China Sea. The region has been the scene of tensions between the Philippines and China’s military.
The U.S. Embassy announced on Wednesday, July 16, that the facility will be constructed in the coastal town of Quezon in the western Palawan province.
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Embassy officials stated in a press release that the project aligns with a treaty between the United States and the Philippines, which aims to maintain a “free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific.”
Why is Palawan important?
Palawan is on the coast of the South China Sea, which Beijing claims as its own. The province is the main hub of the Philippine military’s Western Command, which sends out naval patrol vessels, surveillance ships and military aircraft in an effort to protect against threats in the region.
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China claims much of the South China Sea, encompassing an area known as the “nine-dash line,” covering 90% of the sea and overlapping a number of countries’ recognized maritime boundaries.
What purpose will the facilities serve?
“The facility will provide repair and maintenance capabilities for several small Philippine military watercraft and will include two multi-purpose interior rooms for equipment storage or conference use,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement.
The new facility is expected to allow the Philippine navy to respond more quickly should a conflict arise. Military analysts say it is part of a push by the United States to create a “low-footprint deterrence” in the disputed sea.
The U.S. Embassy in Manila acknowledged that the facility will improve repair efforts for Philippine boats at the nearby Naval Detachment Oyster Bay, which will in turn enhance regional military capabilities by discreetly expanding the U.S. military presence in the region.
The strategic location
The South China Sea has long been a point of territorial contention and serves as a major waterway globally, resulting in occasional tensions between the United States and China.
In a separate project authorized in a 2014 defense agreement, the United States has also built warehouses, barracks and other structures in nine Philippine military camps, where U.S. forces can be stationed and American weapons can be stored.
China has yet to comment on the American Navy’s announced project in Palawan, but has repeatedly accused the United States of secretly colluding with allies in the region to challenge Beijing’s power.
