The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
Speaking to on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, Teodoro said the recent summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had not changed Manila's assessment of the challenges posed by Beijing.
While it was natural for major powers such as the United States and China to seek ways to manage tensions, Teodoro said countries facing direct territorial disputes with China must continue to focus on their own security and resilience.
The Philippines and China have been involved in repeated confrontations in the South China Sea, where Beijing claims vast areas of waters that overlap with the exclusive economic zones of several regional states, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
An international arbitration tribunal in 2016 rejected the legal basis of China's expansive claims, but Beijing has continued to assert its position and has dismissed the ruling.
Teodoro said there was no indication that Washington's commitments under the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty had been weakened by either the Trump-Xi summit or the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
He said the alliance with the United States was reinforced by growing defence cooperation with countries including Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
According to Teodoro, the Philippines is pursuing a strategy focused on strengthening deterrence, improving defence infrastructure and building resilience against external pressure.
Manila has accelerated military modernisation efforts in recent years, expanded access agreements with allies and increased joint military exercises amid tensions in the South China Sea.
Teodoro dismissed reports that China had offered assistance to the Philippines, including fertiliser and fuel supplies during shortages linked to disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
He said such gestures did not alter Manila's assessment of Beijing's actions in the region and argued that any long-term demonstration of goodwill remained absent.
The defence secretary added that the Philippines would continue to prioritise national security and strategic partnerships while maintaining its current approach toward China.
Teodoro also rejected speculation that he could seek the presidency in 2028 when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s term ends, saying he remained focused on his current responsibilities in government.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow wanted to end the war in Ukraine through negotiations as soon as possible, while insi...
The U.S. is preparing to deploy at least 9,000 additional troops to the Middle East, with Donald Trump weighing a resumption of military strikes ag...
The family of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen fatally shot by an immigration agent in Minneapolis in January, has sued the Trump administration, accusin...
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused the U.S. and Israel of seeking to foment internal divisions in Iran after failing to defeat the country militarily, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel may participate in the investigation into a serious incident aboard a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, while investigators examine the motive of the co-pilot involved.
Passengers restrained a flydubai co-pilot who allegedly stabbed the pilot and tried to crash a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 30 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in Europe.
North Korea has dismissed as a “farce” Seoul’s claim that Pyongyang was responsible for a landmine explosion south of the Military Demarcation Line that injured three South Korean soldiers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow wanted to end the war in Ukraine through negotiations as soon as possible, while insisting that any settlement must meet conditions acceptable to Russia and include security guarantees.
The family of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen fatally shot by an immigration agent in Minneapolis in January, has sued the Trump administration, accusing federal officials of excessive force and unconstitutional conduct.
Ukraine is working to resolve a diplomatic dispute with South Korea after Kyiv publicly disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Thursday, 1 October.
As U.S. troops complete their withdrawal from Iraq, Washington's military footprint may be shrinking. Its financial influence, however, remains deeply embedded in the country's economy.
British counter-terrorism police have arrested a 27-year-old dual UK-Iranian national as part of an investigation into a suspected plot involving RAF Fairford, an airbase used by U.S. forces for operations against Iran.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment