Recent satellite imagery provides a high-definition look at a newly established forward-operating base in Batanes, Philippines.

The facility sits at a strategic choke point—Mahatao, in northern Batanes—that would likely come into play in the event of a conflict involving China-claimed Taiwan.

Why It Matters

The Philippines and China are increasingly at odds over Beijing's growing presence within maritime areas claimed by its neighbors. As with much of the South China Sea , Beijing asserts sovereignty over wide swaths of territory that overlap with claims by other governments—including the Philippines.

Batanes has emerged as another point of friction. Situated in the Luzon Strait, a key waterway the Pentagon views as vital for containing China's naval movements, the island group wou

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