U.S. Maj. Gen. Marcus Evans, left, commanding general of the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division and Sgt. Major Shaun Curry salute during a wreath laying rite to honor American soldiers died during World War II at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Taguig, Philippines Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

(UPDATE) THE US Army's recent deployment of a midrange missile system to the northern Philippines was "incredibly important" and allowed American and Filipino forces to jointly train for the potential usage of such heavy weaponry in Asian archipelago conditions, a US general said Monday.

The Biden administration has moved to strengthen an arc of military alliances in the Indo-Pacific to better counter China, including in any possible confrontation over Taiwan and other Asian flash points. The Philippines has also worked on shoring up its territorial defenses after its disputes with China started to escalate last year in the increasingly volatile South China Sea.