In an interview at a Philippine Navy event, Batanes Gov. Marilou Cayco said the U.S. military will arrive in late April to further discuss the brand new facility within the province. The port may very well be a substitute for the present one on the western side of the island.
Cayco said the plan, developed in cooperation with the Philippine military, goals to accommodate fleeing Filipino employees in Taiwan within the event of a crisis. Last month, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro expressed his desire to strengthen the military presence in Batanes.
China’s ambassador in Manila said the Philippines was “fanning the hearth” of tensions by offering expanded access to a military base within the United States, which Beijing accuses of attempting to interfere in its internal affairs involving Taiwan.
Philippine Navy Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci said in his Saturday speech that the country must proceed to enhance its capabilities and strengthen protection against possible threats of conquest or invasion.
