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China, the world’s second largest military spender, has warned the Philippines of the growing involvement of the United States in upscaling the capability of its armed forces, saying the recent announcement of Washington’s $500-million defense investment would “destabilize the region” amid Beijing and Manila’s maritime conflict.
Lin Jian, the spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the United States was not part of the South China Sea conflict and that it had “no right to interfere” in the affairs of Beijing and Manila.
“The Philippines needs to see that ganging up with countries outside the region to engage in confrontation in the South China Sea will only destabilize the region and create more tensions,” Lin said when asked to comment on the US investment during a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.
“To seek security assurance from external forces will only lead to greater insecurity and turn oneself into someone else’s chess piece,” Lin added.
The Philippines and the United States are longtime treaty allies. Their 73-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) obligates both countries to come to the aid of the other in case of an armed attack, including in the West Philippine Sea, waters within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea being claimed by China.
Last Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III and State Secretary Antony Blinken announced the investment in Manila after the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.
The four officials said the investment was intended to help the Philippines boost its security capabilities.
“This is really designed to support the modernization of Filipino forces, coast guard as they transition to focus on external defense. We’re building on a lot of progress the Philippines has already made to be better positioned to defend their sovereignty,” Blinken said.
Blinken and Austin both reaffirmed Washinton’s “ironclad” commitment to the 1951 MDT, which they made clear included any attack on Filipino ships.
