Will US-built naval facilities in Philippines strengthen Manila's hand in South China Sea?
Earlier this week, the United States said its navy would construct two maintenance facilities for smaller vessels at Oyster Bay and Quezon on
Palawan , which is less than 260km (160 miles) from the
Second Thomas Shoal, a major flashpoint between Manila and Beijing.
The US embassy in Manila said the Oyster Bay facility would 'provide repair and maintenance capabilities for several small Philippine military watercraft' and include 'two multipurpose interior rooms for equipment storage or conference use', according to The Philippine Star.
The embassy said the facility was 'not a military base', adding that US military activities in the Philippines were conducted 'in full coordination' with its ally.
Bao Yinan, an associate research fellow at the Huayang Centre for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance in Hainan, said: 'From the most superficial 'technical' perspective, it is primarily aimed at ensuring and enhancing the combat capabilities of the Philippine Navy, thereby directly strengthening the ability of Philippine naval vessels to 'confront' or even 'counter' China.'
The US may also have the 'potential intention' of smoothing the way for the shared use of Philippine naval facilities.
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