10,000 U.S. paratroopers have moved to the frontlines of the Luzon border with the support of the C-17 Globemaster III, an advanced military airlifter. Equipped with combat gear.
The recently concluded Trilateral Summit of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines saw the unveiling of the Luzon Corridor, an economic scheme that is intended to spur economic partnerships among the three countries. Located south of Taiwan, Luzon is the Philippines’ biggest island with five regions including Metro Manila, the country’s capital region and major urban center.
Luzon Corridor is reported as the first project of the U.S.-initiated Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment in the Indo-Pacific, which is touted as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Maritime Silk Road. It encompasses big ports (Batangas and Manila) and economic zones (Subic and Clark). The latter were previously U.S. military bases, until they were turned into commercial areas in 1991.