China Cautions Philippines Against Defence Ties with US

China warned the Philippines against strengthening its military cooperation with the United States. The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Sunday said that doing so would be in favour of Washington’s geopolitical goals and would compromise Manila’s security.

In its most recent warning, the Chinese embassy in Manila cited President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s decision to allow American forces access to four more military facilities in the Philippines last month. This kind of collaboration “would draw the Philippines against China and tie the nation to the chariot of geopolitical strife, seriously jeopardizing Philippine national interests and regional peace and stability,” the embassy stated.

Relations between the Philippines and Beijing have deteriorated since Marcos took office last summer. The island nation was visited by US Vice President Kamala Harris in November.

The Marcos government was advised by the Chinese embassy to stay out of the US efforts to uphold global hegemony.

China has accused the US and its NATO partners of acting as if the Cold War was still raging on. According to the embassy, America has undermined attempts by China and its neighbours to uphold peace and stability in the disputed waters by “stirring up trouble” in the South China Sea.