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Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said it is the "expansionist policy of China", not the United States, which causes the escalation of tension in the South China Sea.

This was his response after Senator Robin Padilla voiced concerns in a Senate hearing on Tuesday about the deployment of a US Navy aircraft to monitor the recent Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal.

Padilla noted that the situation may escalate if China decides to deploy its own aircraft.

"I respectfully disagree. It is the expansionist policy of China that is actually escalating the tensions not only between us but with Vietnam and other actors and their 10-dash line actually is the best proof that they want to escalate tensions within the area," said Teodoro.

"Even Brunei is effected, and India is affected, Nepal is affected and the Taiwan issue for me, we have repeated time and time again that the Taiwan issue is a Chinese issue not us. Of course, the whole world is watching because supply chains are affected, even the Russia-Ukraine war affects us," he added.

Teodoro noted that "the real issue here is the harassment activities by China for us by asserting our rights over Philippine registered vessel BRP Sierra Madre and other activities because they do not recognize our 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone".

"They do not recognize our other claims, so we are not trying to contain China but enforcing international law which is on our side. Now China keeps on saying that we are containing them, if you use the word contain that means to say you have an intention to expand, so its disingenuous for them to use that term for me," he said. Robina Asido/DMS