Trump tightening noose around China in disputed South China Sea? US, Philippines consider more missile systems

South China Sea accounts for a third of the global maritime trade. According to an estimate 80 percent of China's energy imports and 40 percent of China's total trade passes through the disputed South China Sea, which the Chinese threaten to dominate. So, in order to strike a balance in the region, US military presence is prominent.

In latest development, the United States is discussing the possibility of deploying more missile launchers to the Philippines to keep a check on Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea. However, a final decision is yet to be reached between the two countries in this regard, reported the Associated Press, citing Manila’s ambassador to Washington.

According to Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) or the anti-ship missile systems could be installed along Philippine coastal regions facing the South China Sea to act as a deterrence to China.

This comes after the U.S. military delivered a mid-range missile system called the Typhon to Philippines as part of joint combat exercises in April last year. The land-based weapon is capable of firing Standard Missile-6 and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile.

Soon after, the US military transported an anti-ship missile launcher in April this year to the northernmost Philippine province of Batanes.

The installation of the US missile systems were strongly opposed by China which argued that it would threaten regional stability and was aimed at curbing China's rise. In fact, China asked the Philippines to withdraw the missile launchers from its territory but the demand was rejected.

In his first visit to Asia after assuming the power of US Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth visited Manila in March this year and said the Trump administration would work with allies to ramp up deterrence against Chinese threats in the South China Sea.

Thus, the likely deployment of more missile launchers to the Philippines by the US is being see as a move in that direction.