PH: China missile test ‘reckless display of military power’
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines on Tuesday condemned China’s test launch of an intercontinental-range ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean, a day after the United States voiced similar concerns over Beijing’s expanding nuclear capabilities.
The Department of National Defense (DND) described the launch as “a reckless display of military power” that “serves no peaceful purpose.”
“The Department of National Defense shares the concern about China’s recent ballistic missile test in the South Pacific, a reckless display of military power that shows little regard for smaller countries and the fragile ecological systems that sustain their people,” it said in a statement.
On Monday, a Chinese submarine test-fired a missile in the Pacific Ocean in what a Chinese Navy spokesperson called “a routine arrangement” of the country’s annual military training.
READ: PH, US air concern over China’s submarine missile test
Speaking to reporters in Manila on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said there was no legitimate reason for China to conduct the missile test in the South Pacific, calling it part of a pattern of provocation and military muscle-flexing.
“There is no reason for them to conduct that exercise there. They are not a South Pacific country,” Teodoro said.
READ: Solomon Islands lodges ‘strong protest’ with China over missile test
He said the launch was an unnecessary demonstration of force that should concern not only Australia and New Zealand but the broader region. He also questioned its environmental impact and said it showed little regard for Pacific Island nations.
Although the missile test did not occur within Philippine territory or its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Teodoro said Manila should still raise its concerns.
Raising regional anxieties
“We can certainly raise our concerns for regional peace and stability. We cannot remain silent,” he said.
While noting that the launch was part of China’s annual military training, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said the demonstration of advanced strategic nuclear capability “compounds existing regional anxieties.”
“In line with the DND and national government pronouncements, the AFP maintains that peace, stability, and adherence to international law must guide all state actions in the Indo-Pacific,” the military said.
The United States, meanwhile, urged China to engage in meaningful arms control discussions and establish a regular notification arrangement for all intercontinental-range ballistic missile and space launches while reaffirming its defense commitments to allies and partners. /cb
