Photo:screenshot from Chinese embassy in Philippines

In response to the Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro erroneous remarks about China, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said on Wednesday that Teodoro's unfounded accusations and malicious attacks against China are filled with ideological bias, camp-based confrontation, and Cold War thinking. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns such statements.

The Philippines' defense minister on Tuesday justified the country's deployment of a US medium-range missile system and plans to acquire its own, despite opposition from China. "Any deployment and procurement of assets related to the Philippines' security and defence fall within its own sovereign prerogative and are not subject to any foreign veto," Teodoro claimed in a statement, according to the Reuters.

The Chinese embassy spokesperson pointed out that this is not the first time that the Philippine Defense Secretary has made similar outrageous and absurd remarks. He has repeatedly attacked and smeared China, obstructed and restricted military exchanges between China and the Philippines, and even openly claimed that dialogue and consultation on maritime differences are the most useless approaches. 

Such statements and actions run counter to Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos' commitment to de-escalating maritime tensions through dialogue and contradict the efforts of the two countries' foreign ministries to manage maritime differences through dialogue. The intention behind his remarks is unclear, raising questions about who they represent, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson reiterated China's consistent and clear position regarding the US deployment of Mid-Range Capability missile systems in the Philippines. The region needs peace and prosperity, not missiles and confrontation. China once again urged the Philippines to heed the voices of regional countries and their people, promptly withdraw the Typhon missile system as previously publicly promised, and avoid further deviation down the wrong path.