MANILA, Philippines — The military aid given by the United States to the Philippines worth $500 million (P29.2 billion) is a bad investment and it could destabilize the region if it aims to provoke military confrontation in the disputed waters, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
“The US offered $500 million for Philippine external defense. If this is what the US is prepared to pay to incite bloc politics and military confrontation in this region, this is apparently a bad investment,” said Lin Jian in a statement.
Lin also hit the Philippines for accepting the donation, saying that the country should prioritize being a good neighbor, engage in dialogue and consultation, and maintain its strategic independence to strengthen its security.
Manila should also contribute to regional stability, Lin said.
A $500 million investment from Washington was announced last Tuesday by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, following the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with their counterparts Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.
The officials said that this investment aims to bolster the Philippines’ security capabilities. China has expressed concerns that the aid from Washington could destabilize the region amid escalating maritime tensions with the Philippines.
“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,” Lin said at a press conference when asked to comment on the US aid.
The US and the Philippines have been long-time allies for 73 years. Despite this, China sees the mutual cooperation of the two countries as something that could inflict harm in the area. Several reports showed that China has been patrolling and cruising around the maritime areas in the Philippines for the past weeks. China had also intruded on a resupply mission in Ayungin last June which resulted in a violent confrontation with Philippine authorities and China Coast Guard, leaving a sailor to lose his thumb.
