Manila, March 29 -- The enhanced defense cooperation between the Philippines and the United States (US) is an "effective" strategy to deter conflict in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), political analysts said on Saturday.

Satellite images obtained by international news agency Reuters showed that China deployed two long-range H-6 bombers this week, near the hotly contested Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

On Friday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with military and defense officials at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

At the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, De La Salle University professor Renato de Castro said the deployment of two Chinese bombers is proof that efforts to beef up the military partnership between the Philippines and th...