Philippines deploys aircraft and warships to counter China.

Reuters reported that Philippine officials said the Philippines will deploy new fighter jets and two frigates to the former US naval base in Subic Bay starting in early 2016, marking the first time the massive facility has operated as a military base in 23 years.

A US warship is anchored in Subic Bay. (Source: Stripes)

According to security experts, using Subic Bay would allow the Philippine Air Force and Navy to respond more effectively to China's actions in the South China Sea.

The deep-water port in Subic Bay is located on the western coast of Luzon, the main island of the Philippines, facing the South China Sea. Philippine security expert Rommel Banlaoi emphasized: "The value of Subic as a military base has been proven by the Americans. Chinese defense planners know this well."

Once one of the world's largest U.S. Navy bases, Subic Bay was closed in 1992 after the Philippine Senate abrogated its base agreement with Washington at the end of the Cold War. Manila subsequently developed the site into an economic zone.

Previously, the Philippine military had never used this facility as a base.

(According to VietnamPlus)