Context

• Recently the Security issues in the disputed South China Sea convinced the Philippines to delay quitting the Visiting Forces Agreement, a key US military pact.
• The Philippines, a long-term US ally and its former colony, has drawn closer to China in search of trade and investment,sparking concerns of the US.

About Visiting Forces Agreement

• A visiting force agreement (VFA) is an agreement between a country and a foreign nation having military forces visiting that country.
• It is a version of a status of forces agreement that only applies to troops temporarily in a country.
• The US military has the largest foreign presence and therefore accounts for most VFAs.
• The Philippines–United States Visiting Forces Agreement is abilateral visiting forces agreement between the countries.
• The agreements came into force on May 27, 1999, upon ratification by the Senate of the Philippines.