𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗝𝗔𝗕: 𝗗𝗡𝗗: “𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁” 𝗔𝗺𝗶𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗷𝗶𝗻𝗴’𝘀 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗛-𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀

The geopolitical heat spiked again in the West Philippine Sea as Manila and Beijing traded barbs over ongoing joint military exercises. China accused the Philippines of “provocation” for conducting coordinated drills with defense partners — a charge the Department of National Defense (DND) dismissed as pure projection. “The truth is China is the real threat to stability in the region,” DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said, brushing off Beijing’s latest statements as another attempt to twist the narrative.

China’s Ministry of National Defense, through Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, claimed the Philippines was “drawing in outside forces” and stirring tensions through defense cooperation. Jiang reiterated Beijing’s line that Manila was engaging in “infringement, provocation, and propaganda,” warning that China “will neither tolerate blackmail nor indulge provocation.” But the DND fired back, pointing to China’s well-documented use of water cannons, blockades, dangerous maneuvers, and deliberate ramming of Filipino vessels. Andolong even invoked President Xi Jinping’s own quote on resisting “unilateral bullying,” saying Philippine indigenous communities demonstrate more respect for the rule of law “than China does in our waters.”

The exchange comes just days after Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the creation of Task Force Philippines during the ADMM-Plus meetings in Kuala Lumpur. The initiative aims to rebuild deterrence in the South China Sea, expand joint training, and strengthen crisis response and interoperability — steps Manila insists are lawful under UNCLOS and aligned with the 2016 arbitral ruling. China, however, framed the move as destabilizing.

Despite Beijing’s warnings, the Philippines continues to press forward with its maritime engagements, including Balikatan, Maritime Cooperative Activity, and ALON 2025. The AFP says these drills are legitimate security efforts carried out with allies who share the same goal: protecting regional stability in the West Philippine Sea, where Manila says China’s coercive behavior remains the biggest threat.

Image from AFP