US Deploys Missiles in Philippines to Counter China

In response to the growth of China's naval power, the U.S. is strengthening its military presence in key waterways of the Pacific Ocean. At the center of Washington's strategy is the Bashi Channel, a strategically important passage between the Philippines and Taiwan that connects the South China Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

As part of this strategy, the U.S. is deploying troops and anti-ship missile systems to the northern islands of the Philippines, in Batanes province, located just 150 km from Taiwan. The purpose of the nearly continuous military exercises with the Philippines is to develop scenarios for blocking the Bashi Strait in the event of a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan. As one former Philippine military leader noted, "it's impossible to invade Taiwan without controlling the north of the Philippines."

During exercises held from April to June this year, U.S. forces twice moved anti-ship missile launchers to the region. Moreover, last year the U.S. Army deployed the latest "Typhon" systems on the island of Luzon, south of Batanes, which are armed with "Tomahawk" missiles with a range of up to 1,600 km, also targeting objects within Chinese territory.

These actions are part of a broader Pentagon strategy aimed at using the geographical position of the Philippine archipelago to deter any Chinese aggression against Taiwan or the disputed territories of the South China Sea. The Philippines, consisting of more than 7,600 islands, is a critical link in the so-called "First Island Chain," which stretches from Japan to Borneo.

The American military exercises have caused concern among the approximately 20,000 residents of Batanes, who fear that their peaceful islands could end up on the front line of a possible conflict between the U.S. and China. Beijing has reacted harshly to these exercises, warning that they are "extremely dangerous" and demanding the removal of the missile systems.