South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative says base infrastructure expansion ‘has fallen short of expectations’
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenAmber Wangin BeijingPublished: 9:00pm, 2 Jul 2026Satellite imagery shows that Philippine military bases open to US troops have expanded more slowly than expected, according to a Chinese think tank.In a report published on Thursday, the Beijing-based South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) zoomed in on the nine sites covered by the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the two treaty allies.It said the sites reflected Washington’s efforts to transform the Philippines from a “strategic rear” into a “forward hub” for operations aimed at countering China.
01:36China slams Japan’s first overseas missile launch in 80 yearsAccording to the report, the network of bases forms a strategic posture that “locks the Taiwan Strait from the north and controls the South China Sea from the south”.
