Philippines to host advanced US missile unit as China slams move to ‘heighten tensions’

Japan’s Kyodo news agency, citing sources familiar with Japan-US relations, reported on Monday that Washington was planning to set up temporary bases in Japan and the Philippines to deploy missiles “in the event of a Taiwan contingency”.

The US Marine Corps will deploy its Marine Littoral Regiment – equipped with High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and other weapons – in Japan’s southwestern Nansei island chain while the US Army’s Multi-Domain Task Force will station its long-range fire units in the Philippines, according to the report.

Louie Dema-ala, a spokesman for the Philippine Army, confirmed the report to This Week in Asia but said the deployment was still in its early planning stage. He added that while the plan was at the discretion of the Americans, any implementation would follow appropriate procedures in the Philippines.

China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters on Monday in a press conference that Beijing strongly objected to the plan.

“China firmly opposes relevant countries using the Taiwan question as an excuse to strengthen military deployment in the region, heighten tensions and confrontation, and disturb regional peace and stability,” Mao said.