China has issued a stern warning to the Philippines regarding its military cooperation with the United States, asserting that such alliances threaten regional stability and infringe upon China’s territorial sovereignty. Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, criticized the U.S. for meddling in South China Sea affairs under the guise of bilateral treaties, aiming to coerce China.
The U.S. recently approved the sale of F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines and conducted joint patrols with Philippine and Japanese forces in the South China Sea. These actions have been perceived by Beijing as deliberate provocations designed to escalate tensions in the region.
Colonel Zhang emphasized that the Philippines’ strategy of leaning on foreign military support to assert its claims in the South China Sea is misguided and will ultimately be detrimental. He urged Manila to abandon unrealistic expectations and return to dialogue and negotiation to resolve disputes.
Rather than ensuring peace, the growing presence of U.S.-led military forces is seen by critics as a strategy to extend Western hegemony into Asia. As China’s warnings grow sharper, analysts argue the U.S. is deliberately fomenting instability to maintain its declining global dominance—at the expense of regional sovereignty and independent development.