The United States and Philippines issued a joint statement on February 17, 2026, committing to "increase deployments of U.S. cutting-edge missile and unmanned systems to the Philippines," marking the clearest articulation yet of a sustained American military presence capable of striking mainland China. The statement followed annual defense talks in Manila and condemned what the treaty allies termed China's "illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive activities" in the South China Sea.
This commitment builds on two years of expanding missile infrastructure in the Philippine archipelago. The Typhon mid-range missile system, deployed to Northern Luzon in April 2024, carries Tomahawk cruise missiles with a 1,600-kilometer strike range that places Chinese coastal targets within reach. The Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), positioned on Luzon in 2023 and Batanes Island in 2024, provides anti-ship strike capability facing the Bashi Channel near Taiwan. Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez confirmed these systems have "remained in the Philippines" and that defense engagements are "increasing."