The Philippines offered China a deal on Thursday, demanding it stop its aggressive behavior in the South China Sea in exchange for the removal of a U.S. missile system in the nation.
Newsweek has emailed the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command for comment. Both the Chinese defense and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Why It Matters
The Philippines has hosted a U.S. Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile system, also known as Typhon, since April 2024. Initially it was stated that this was just for exercises but both nations later decided to keep it in the country “indefinitely.” The land-based weapon can launch two types of missiles for land attack, air defense and anti-ship missions, and is capable of striking targets up to 1,000 miles away.
China has territorial disputes with the Philippines in the South China Sea and there have been frequent maritime confrontations between Chinese and Philippine forces. Manila has signed a security treaty with Washington that comes with mutual defense commitments and Beijing has also repeatedly raised objections to the U.S. missile deployment, denouncing it as a “highly dangerous move.”
What To Know
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told reporters that he will “return everything” if China stops its “aggressive and coercive behavior” in the contested South China Sea.
“Stop claiming our territory, stop harassing our fishermen and let them have a living, stop ramming our boats, stop water cannoning our people, stop firing lasers at us,” he said.
China has increasingly sent armed coast guard ships to the waters near the Philippines to reinforce its territorial claims with law enforcement patrols, ramming maneuvers, and water cannons, as well as the use of high-power lasers against Philippine vessels.
The president’s remarks came after the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged Manila to quickly withdraw the Typhoon missile system to “correct the wrongdoing.” The Philippine military hit back by vowing that “no single entity” can dictate how it conducts its defense deployments.
Reuters reported last week that the Typhon missile system was relocated from its original site at Laoag airfield on the island of Luzon in the northern Philippines to another location.
A group of Philippine soldiers will be trained on the missile system next month with the U.S. Army‘s First Multi-Domain Task Force, which operates the weapon, it was announced on Tuesday, adding that the training would not include live-fire events.
What People Are Saying
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday: “Well, I don’t understand the comments on the Typhon missile system. We don’t make any comments on their missile systems, and their missile systems are a thousand times more powerful than what we have.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on January 23: “Let me stress again that by bringing this strategic offensive weapon [Typhon missile system] into this part of the world, the Philippines is essentially creating tensions and antagonism in the region and inciting geopolitical confrontation and an arms race.”
The U.S. Army Pacific said on April 15, 2024: “This landmark [Typhon missile system] deployment marks a significant milestone for the new capability while enhancing interoperability, readiness, and defense capabilities in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.”
What Happens Next
The Chinese Defense Ministry has said China’s claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea are “indisputable.” It remains to be seen how Beijing will respond to Manila’s offer to remove the Typhon system.
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