Trump’s pledge to discourage Beijing in the face of escalating regional tensions is put to the test as the US stations the Typhon missile system in the Philippines, bringing important Chinese targets within range.
The Wall Street Journal said that President Trump’s Indo-Pacific strategy is coming under early criticism as a result of the United States’ deployment of a potent new missile system in the Philippines, which is also upsetting regional allies and escalating tensions with China.
The first land-based American missile platform of this range to be deployed abroad since the Cold War is the Typhon Missile System, which can fire Tomahawk and SM-6 missiles from mobile ground launchers.
With its advantageous location on Luzon Island, only 300 miles from Taiwan, the typhoon can hit targets up to 1,200 miles distant, putting important Chinese military and commercial hubs within striking distance. It has swiftly turned into a representation of the escalating military confrontation between the US and China and a crucial litmus test for the Trump administration’s commitment to protecting allies like Taiwan and the Philippines from possible Chinese assault.
A trigger for escalation with Beijing
Beijing has denounced the deployment, warning of possible reprisal and accusing Manila and Washington of igniting an arms race. Russia likened the action to missile brinkmanship during the Cold War, while China’s Foreign Ministry stated that it would not “sit idly by” if its security interests were endangered.
Although the Typhon arrived during the Biden administration, it now presents a military and political challenge for President Trump, whose approach to Asia has wavered between hostility and compromise. This week’s visit by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could provide hints about the administration’s intentions to increase or decrease the US military’s involvement in Asia.
A tactical change in stance
Unlike big, established military sites, the Typhon system is mobile, mounted on trucks and deployable by air, making it challenging to monitor and destroy. It is a component of a larger Pentagon plan to develop a more resilient, scattered missile network in the Indo-Pacific region in reaction to China’s enormous intermediate-range missile stockpile, which is unrestricted by the now-defunct INF Treaty.
According to Shawn Rostker of the Centre for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, “the United States is moving away from a reliance on big centralized bases, towards a more dispersed, resilient force posture.”
Despite not having any missiles at the moment, the Typhon battery in Luzon is already being seen as revolutionary. Filipino troops are currently undergoing training to operate the system, which the Philippines has indicated interest in purchasing.
Possibility of a negotiating chip or liability
Some are concerned that the system’s existence could be used as a negotiating chip in high-level talks, despite US officials applauding its deterrent impact. If China stops its aggressive acts in the South China Sea, Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has stated that he will think about withdrawing the Typhon.
In Manila, there are also concerns that a deal between Trump and Xi Jinping might compromise the system, particularly in light of Trump’s contentious diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding Ukraine. “The outcome of the game of deterrence depends on what the Philippines does with [the Typhon] and what the Trump administration does about it,” political expert Richard Heydarian stated.
Miscalculation and conflict risk
Some observers caution that the Typhon’s presence could lead to miscalculation even if they are not fired. The device raises the possibility of escalation between two nuclear-armed states, particularly if it is deployed during a crisis, according to Jennifer Kavanagh of Defence Priorities.
Officials in the Trump administration are still split. While Andrew Byers, the deputy assistant secretary for South and Southeast Asia, has advocated for a more accommodative stance, including earlier proposals to remove US assets in exchange for fewer Chinese patrols, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll referred to the Typhon’s deployment as a strategic achievement.
America’s regional stance will be shaped for years to come by Trump’s actions on the Typhon deployment, including whether he offers it up in negotiations, uses it as leverage, or reinforces it.
