Subic Bay’s deep-water harbor is on the western side of the country’s largest island, Luzon, and adjacent to the South China Sea. “Chinese defence planners know that”, said Mr Rommel Banlaoi, a Philippine security expert.
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United States warships have called regularly at Subic Bay since 2000, but only to dock during exercises with the Philippine military or to use its commercial facilities for repairs and resupply.
Manila regards Second Thomas Shoal, which lies 105 nautical miles (195 km) southwest of the Philippine region of Palawan, as being within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
Officials said once Subic Bay is a military base again, the US Navy could have much greater access.
The move, which will ensure the rust-eaten World War II-vintage BRP Sierra Madre remains livable for a tiny unit of marines guarding Second Thomas Shoal, was lambasted by Communist China, who branded the Philippines a “hypocritical troublemaker and rule breaker”.
China, which claims almost all of the South China Sea, said it was aware of reports.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying in a press conference on Wednesday said China opposes the repairs being made on the grounded vessel and urged the Philippine government to tow the navy ship instead, GMA Network reported. The two planes will arrive in December.
The generals cited proximity to the South China Sea and the ease in making the base operational as reasons for the move.
“If we need to deploy to the West Philippine Sea, it (Subic) is already there, we do not deny that”.
The agreement has been frozen since left-wing politicians challenged its constitutionality a year ago.
The Philippines filed its arbitration case at The Hague in The Netherlands and the hearings on whether the court has jurisdiction over the maritime dispute were concluded last Monday.
Giving the disputed reef its internationally recognized name, Scarborough Shoal, Google Maps now shows the reef’s new name as part of the South China Sea.
Despite its widely criticized reclamation, China said the Philippines is the one creating trouble in the region as it “illegally occupied” parts of Nansha Islands since the 1970s.
“The Chinese government is really confused because of their incessant twisting of the truth and in their efforts misleading the good Chinese people”.
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To assert its claims, China has been building structures, including powerful radars and helipads, in at least seven areas also being claimed by the Philippines – the Panganiban (Mischief), Zamora (Subi), Kagitingan (Fiery Cross), Kennan (Chigua), Mabini (Johnson South), Burgos (Gaven) and Calderon (Cuarteron) Reefs.
