Description: The US military has commenced the relocation of the Typhoon Missile launchers deployed in the Laoag airfield to a different location in the country on the island of Luzon. The launchers would complement the Tomahawk cruise missiles in the Philippines as the US aimed to strengthen its defense and military capabilities in the Indo – Pacific region amid raised tensions with China. China has reacted in a severely negative way and blamed the US for inflaming a potential arms race in the region. The Tomahawk missiles mounted on the Typhoon launchers could reach targets that exceeded 200km distances which gives the US aerial advantage in the region.
Impact: Tensions in the Indo – Pacific have significantly risen since Trump was inaugurated as a potential trade war between China and the US looms around the corner. The US has recently conducted military exercises with the Philippine navy and the reorganization of regional defense capabilities indicate a possible escalation of hostilities. The Philippines are strategically crucial ally to the US in the region as their geostrategic position could be leveraged for operations in the broad Indo – Pacific theater. China would certainly answer with solidifying regional military partnerships and conduct military exercises in the future as the geopolitical exacerbation continues to rise.