The United States military base in Subic Bay, Philippines, has been abandoned by the military of Uncle Sam's country for more than 30 years. But they plan to return there.

This is given their uneasy relationship with China. They have concerns over China's increasing maritime presence, said a top official at the local body that oversees the free port zone.

The US military returns to Subic Bay after 30 years away from its largest military base in Asia.

The former US Naval Base at Subic Bay overlooking the South China Sea, has become a bustling free port employing around 150,000 local residents and administered by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). Manila and Washington have been negotiating to set up five more sites in the Asian country to build US military facilities and provide weapons under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

SBMA chairman Rolen Paulino said Wednesday he would be "very surprised" if Subic Bay did not host the EDCA "during the war, and at a very important time". Paulino's statement was made the day before the 30th anniversary. the year the US Navy departed from the port it has controlled for nearly 94 years.

A series of events were held Thursday at the free harbor to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the SBMA's founding, including a public display of civilian aircraft and a Philippine Navy helicopter at Subic airport which is now being repurposed for aviation supervision and training.

Signed in 2014, EDCA is likely to continue beyond its 10 year period, as demonstrated by the United States' renewed interest in establishing a new base in the Philippines and new funding to upgrade existing EDCA sites.
Paulino said tensions in the Taiwan Strait and increasing hostility between the United States and China were of concern. Paulino, a former mayor of Subic's neighboring city of Olongapo, prefers the Philippine government to maintain a defense alliance with the United States.
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