China has called on the Philippines to promptly withdraw the U.S. Typhon missile system from its territory, emphasizing the need for peace and stability in the region.
The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines released a statement on Wednesday urging Manila to follow through on its public pledge to remove the missile system and avoid escalating tensions.
This appeal came after Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro defended the deployment on Tuesday. Teodoro stated that the presence of the U.S. mid-range missile system during joint exercises is “completely legitimate, legal, and beyond reproach.”
Teodoro also highlighted what he perceives as criticism from the Communist Party of China (CPC), pointing out that while China is “building up its nuclear arsenal and ballistic missile capability,” it critiques the “modest capability development of the Philippines.”
In response, the Chinese Embassy accused Teodoro of making baseless accusations and launching malicious attacks against China and the CPC. The embassy expressed strong opposition, describing his remarks as unjust and filled with ideological bias rooted in a Cold War mentality.
The embassy noted that this is not the first instance of such comments from Teodoro. They cited his previous actions, including obstructing military exchanges between China and the Philippines and dismissing discussions and consultations as “the most useless phrase” in resolving maritime disputes.
China emphasized that such statements contradict Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to de-escalate maritime tensions through dialogue. The embassy stressed the importance of both nations managing differences through communication and consultation.
Reiterating its stance, the Chinese Embassy stated that the deployment of missile systems is not conducive to the peace and prosperity sought by countries in the region. “Once again, we remind the Philippines to heed the call of regional countries and their peoples, and promptly pull out the Typhon missile system as it has publicly pledged,” the statement concluded.
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China urges Philippines to promptly pull out U.S. missile system
cgtn.com
