China warns of ''greater insecurity'' after US gives $500 million foreign military financing
China warned against possible "greater insecurity" after the United States formally announced its additional $500 million foreign military financing (FMF) assistance for the Philippines.
In a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that the "Philippines needs to see that ganging up with countries outside the region to engage in confrontation in the South China Sea will only destabilize the region and create more tensions."
"To seek security assurance from external forces will only lead to greater insecurity and turn oneself into someone else’s chess piece. Any moves to resort to bloc politics and military confrontation will not be popular among the people and will not succeed," he said when asked about his comment on the 500 million dollars foreign military assistance of the US to the Philippines.
"Our message for relevant country is that the only proven way to protect one’s own security and keep the region peaceful and stable is to commit oneself to good-neighborliness, return to dialogue and consultation and maintain strategic independence," he added.
During the "Bagong Pilipinas" interview on Thursday, International maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal said the main objective of the United States is to enhance the territorial defense of the Philippines so it can contribute to efforts in maintaining regional security.
"So they are not only helping the Philippines but the entire Southeast Asian region as well. It will improve our owned capabilities and at the same time, it will enable us to cooperate with other partners and allies in the East Asian region," he said.
Batongbakal also expressed the belief that improvement of maritime and air capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines should be prioritized under the $500 million foreign military assistance from the US.
"The Philippine Marines under the Navy should also be given some attention, because our archipelago needs this kind of capabilities because those who will be in the frontlines are the Air Force, Navy and Marines," he added.
The $500 million additional assistance of the US to the Philippines was formally announced by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken after the 2+2 meeting of defense and foreign affair ministers in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday. Robina Asido/DMS
