The U.S. Army is set to help build a new civilian seaport in the strategic Philippine province of Batanes.
The Southeast Asian country is building the U.S.-funded port with an eye toward receiving fleeing Philippine nationals in the event of a conflict over Taiwan, ABS-CBN News cited Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco as saying.
This development follows reports from last year about the U.S. military's interest in constructing port facilities in the archipelago province, situated less than 130 miles from Taiwan. The self-governed land is claimed by China, which has vowed to annex it by any means necessary.
U.S. Army representatives are scheduled to arrive next month to discuss the project, Cayco said.
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Army with a written request for comment.
U.S. defense treaty ally the Philippines is part of the "first island chain" of U.S. partners and allies surrounding China.
Batanes, in particular, has strategic merit through its proximity to the Bashi Channel, a potential chokepoint for Chinese forces seeking to enter the open Pacific.
Last year, Washington and Manila announced expanded access to U.S. forces on four military bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Arrangement (EDCA).
It remains unclear whether an extended American military presence is planned at the port after its completion. However, it would likely come into play if the U.S. comes to Taiwan's defense or the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty is triggered.
As part of its efforts to boost its defenses, the Philippines is increasing the number of naval reservists deployed around the province and fortifying a remote outpost on its Mavulis Island.
These measures fulfill a pledge by Philippine armed forces chief Gilberto Teodoro Jr. last month to enhance the country's defensive posture at what he called the "spearhead" of the nation's territory.
As neighbors, China and the Philippines "should get along with each other based on the principle of good-neighborliness, friendship, mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs," Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., told Newsweek when asked about the planned port.
"The Taiwan question is at the heart of China's core interests and is a red line and bottom line that must not be crossed. Relevant parties in the Philippines need to understand it clearly, tread carefully, and avoid being manipulated and eventually hurt on this issue."
The Philippines finds itself at the center of an escalating territorial dispute with China, which claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea as its territory, including waters lying within the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines and other neighboring claimant states.
Since last year, Chinese maritime forces have stepped up their employment of blockades and water cannons against Philippine supply convoys to a military installation at the Spratly Islands' Second Thomas Shoal, which China maintains is illegal.
Tensions again came to a head last week, resulting in collisions and damage to a supply ship. Footage showed the moment a Chinese water cannon shattered the vessel's windshield, which Manila said injured several crew members.
The Philippine government recently approved plans to spend $35 billion to upgrade its defenses over the next decade.
Update 3/12/24, 1:45 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with a comment from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.
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Micah McCartney is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers U.S.-China relations, East Asian and Southeast Asian ... Read more
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