China criticizes US missile deployment in the Philippines

China's armed forces today reiterated their rejection to the deployment of the US missile system 'Typhon' in the Philippines and commented on the recent relocation of these weapons within the neighboring Asian country.

Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang stressed that this system, considered a strategic offensive weapon, poses a significant risk to regional security.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command confirmed that ‘Typhon’, previously deployed at the Laoag airport on the island of Luzon, was moved to another location within the same island.

However, the US side assured that this move does not entail an intention to establish a permanent presence of the system on Philippine territory.

In turn, Manila declared that it would return the missiles to the United States if China stops its territorial claims, stops harassing local fishermen and ceases incidents with boats.

According to Zhang Xiaogang, the Philippines reneged on its own commitments by allowing the introduction of the U.S. system.

This decision, the spokesman said, not only compromises that nation’s national security, but also increases the risks of geopolitical confrontation and arms race in the region.

The territorial boundaries of the Philippines are clearly defined by a series of international treaties, such as the US-Spain Peace Treaty of 1898, the 1900 Treaty of Cession and the 1930 Boundary Delimitation Agreement, the spokesman said.

Beijing’s actions in the disputed maritime areas, including law enforcement operations, are legal and justified under international law, said the spokesman.