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21:07 GMT
KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 (KUNA) -- The US and Philippines agreed on Friday, allowing American military forces to use the Asian country's bases for naval and humanitarian operations, Philippines' defense ministry announced.
The draft agreement, aimed to boost military cooperation, will be presented to President Benigno Aquino III, the ministry quoted Undersecretary of the Defense Ministry Pio Lorenzo Batino as saying.
He said the agreement was expected to be signed during US President Barack Obama's visit to Manila on April 28-29.
The new agreement aims to increase level of the "Philippines protection against China," through strengthening military presence in disputed shallow waters in the South China, which are rich in natural resources.
As oldest allies in the Asia-Pacific region, the US and the Philippines have been negotiating this agreement for the past eight months, which also tends to boost the US military presence in Asia. (end)
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