MANILA, Philippines – The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines condemned what it considered as “baselessly smearing China” and “maliciously attacking the Communist Party of China”, an embassy statement read.
The Chinese Embassy released a statement, saying it “firmly oppose and strongly condemn” the statement of a Philippine Secretary of National Defense (DND), which it called an “accusation filled with ideological bias and based on bloc confrontation and the Cold War mentality.”
The statement is believed to be a reaction to DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr.’s earlier statement regarding the deployment of U.S. mid-range missile assets, also known as “Typhon”, to the Philippines in the context of joint exercises as completely “legitimate, legal and beyond reproach.”
According to Teodoro, any deployment and procurement of assets related to the country’s security and defense fall within its own sovereign prerogative and are not subject to any foreign veto.
The Philippines is a sovereign state, not any country’s “doorstep,” Teodoro added.
In the same statement, Teodoro challenged the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), saying “if it is truly intent on reducing tensions and instability in the region, they should cease their saber rattling, stop their provocative actions, halt their interference in other countries’ internal affairs, withdraw their illegal presence from the Philippines EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone), and adhere to international law.”
Teodoro also condemned the CCP’s criticism of the Philippines’ “modest capability development” while calling out China’s continuous building up of its nuclear arsenal and ballistic missile capability, sponsoring criminal syndicates and subversive organizations beyond their shores, and are unwilling to uphold human rights in their own country.
However, the Chinese Embassy retorted that this is not the first time the incumbent Philippine SND (Secretary of National Defense) made such remarks which they called “unprofessional and ludicrous.”
“In addition to habitually attacking and smearing China and its ruling party, he personally impedes and obstructs mil-to-mil (military to military) contacts and exchanges between China and the Philippines. He even went as far as to state openly that “discussions and consultations are the most useless phrase” in maritime dispute settlement,” the Embassy said.
“Such words run counter to President Marcos, Jr.’s instruction to de-escalate maritime tensions through dialogue, and contradict both countries’ relentless diplomatic efforts to manage differences through communication and consultation. We cannot help but wonder why and for whom he has been saying and doing in such an unconstructive way,” the Embassy added.
China’s position on the U.S. deploying the Mid-Range Capability missile system in the Philippines is consistent and clear. Our part of the world is in need of peace and prosperity, not Mid-Range Capability missile system or confrontation, the Embassy reiterated.
“Once again, we remind the Philippines to heed the call of regional countries and their peoples, and have the Typhon missile system promptly pulled out as it has publicly pledged, and stop going further down the wrong path,” the Embassy said.
