China urges the Philippines to pull out the U.S. Mid-Range Capability missile system Typhon as soon as possible, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday.
Mao responded to a statement issued by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro on Tuesday, which claimed that the deployment of U.S. mid-range missile assets to the Philippines in the context of joint exercises is "completely legitimate, legal, and beyond reproach. "
In response, the spokeswoman said: "I want to emphasize that the Typhon Mid-Range Capability missile system, capable of both nuclear and conventional strikes, is not a defensive weapon but a strategic offensive one. By cooperating with the United States to introduce this system, the Philippines is surrendering its own security and national defense and introducing risks of geopolitical confrontation and an arms race into the region, which poses a substantial threat to peace and stability in the region. Whose interests does this move serve? How could that possibly be considered an independent foreign policy? This is a textbook example of hurting others without benefiting oneself."
"The Philippines has explicitly pledged not to take sides among major powers, not to engage in actions detrimental to China, and not to escalate regional tensions. However, despite all these commitments, the Philippines has repeatedly pandered to external forces, allowing military deployments and provoking confrontation in the region. The Philippines has also publicly claimed that the Typhon system would only be used for a single routine drill and promised to withdraw after the drill concluded in September of this year. However, it later changed its stance, expressing a desire to permanently deploy the system and even considering purchasing it. This is a typical case of going back on its words," Mao noted.
"We once again urge the Philippines to heed the call from countries in the region, honor its previous public commitments, and withdraw the mid-range missile system as soon as possible to avoid going further down the wrong path. Certain individuals in the Philippines should correct their misconceptions, reflect on their behaviors, and stop the clumsy stunts of calling white black and falsely accusing China. We sternly warn the Philippines that China will not stand idly by when its security interests are undermined or threatened. If the Philippines insists on going ahead with it, it will only backfire on the Philippines itself," she said.
China urges Philippines to withdraw US missile system ASAP: spokeswoman
