MANILA — The Philippines said Thursday it would soon start talks on expanding US access to its bases, a move that would result in a greater presence of American troops in the country amid rising tensions with China.
The plan, first announced by the country’s defense department in June, would give the US soldiers a greater “rotational presence” in the country and comes as China has increased its assertiveness over its claims in the South China Sea.
Speaking to the press Thursday, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said, “We’re trying to do it as soon as we can, as early as we can.
“I think if we’re talking about access we need to discuss the modalities and parameters,” he added.
Several hundred US special operations troops have been on short-term deployments in the southern Philippines since 2002 to help train local troops fighting Islamic militants.
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