US gains access to key bases in the Philippines, bolstering ability to monitor China

The United States has secured access to four more military bases in the Philippines , allowing for extra support for its allies in the region and increasing Washington's ability to monitor China .

With access to the bases in the Philippines, the U.S. is much closer to Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea, shoring up its defense and reconnaissance in the region. Washington has already had alliances enabling its stretch from South Korea and Japan in the north to Australia in the south.