China’s defence ministry has strongly condemned the deployment of a U.S. intermediate range missile system in the northern Philippines during military drills in April, saying it brought huge risks of war into the region.
Defence Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian told a press briefing in Beijing that China remained highly vigilant and opposed the deployment, the first in the Indo-Pacific region.
According to Qian, intermediate-range missiles are strategic and offensive weapons with a strong Cold War colour, adding it seriously undermined regional peace.
China deploys its own advanced intermediate-range missiles as part of an extensive conventional ballistic missile arsenal.
The U.S. said last month it had deployed its Typhon missile system to the Philippines as part of their Balikatan or “shoulder-to-shoulder” military drills.
Philippine military official Colonel Michael Logico said in April that the missile system, which can fire Tomahawk land attack and SM-6 missiles, was brought to Laoag city in Ilocos Norte province in the northern Philippines.
The Philippines and U.S. military did not fire the missile system during the exercises, but Logico said it was shipped to test the feasibility of transporting the 40-ton weapon system by air.
Logico confirmed the missile system remains in the Philippines, but did not say where it is deployed and for how long it will stay in the country.
