Filipino think tank speaks out against US military expansion plans

MANILA, Feb. 3 (Xinhua): Filipinos have spoken out against American military expansion plans in their country following a top US defence official's visit to the South-East Asian country this week.

"That is not part of our national interest. Our national interest is to become an economically prosperous country. And we can only do that if we can have peace in the country and peace in the region," said Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute.