MANILA/NEW YORK -- Officials from the Philippines and the U.S. are set to meet later this month to discuss the future of their Visiting Forces Agreement, a military pact crucial to their defense alliance, Manila's top diplomat said on Monday.
At stake is one of America's most important alliances in Southeast Asia and whether U.S. troops can continue to operate out of the country on a rotational basis. Access to Philippine military bases will be key to projecting power in the South China Sea and President Joe Biden's ability to push back against Chinese maritime activity.
