MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines on Tuesday condemned China’s recent test launch of an intercontinental-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine in the Pacific Ocean, a day after the United States voiced similar concerns over Beijing’s expanding nuclear capabilities.
The Department of National Defense (DND) described the launch as “a reckless display of military power” that “serves no peaceful purpose.”
“The Department of National Defense shares the concern about China’s recent ballistic missile test in the South Pacific, a reckless display of military power that shows little regard for smaller countries and the fragile ecological systems that sustain their people,” the DND said in a statement.
The DND said the launch was “a calculated act of taunting and provocation against those who reject China’s illegal expansionism and coercive conduct.”
“The Philippines stands with its Pacific partners in calling on China to act responsibly and stop turning shared seas into arenas of intimidation and imperial ambition,” it added.
Speaking to reporters in Manila on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said there was no legitimate reason for China to conduct the missile test in the South Pacific, calling it part of a pattern of provocation and military muscle-flexing.
“There is no reason for them to conduct that exercise there. They are not a South Pacific country,” Teodoro said.
He said the launch was an unnecessary demonstration of force that should concern not only Australia and New Zealand but the broader region.
Teodoro also questioned its environmental impact and said it showed little regard for Pacific Island nations.
Although the missile test did not occur within Philippine territory or its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Teodoro said Manila should still raise its concerns.
“We can certainly raise our concerns for regional peace and stability. We cannot remain silent,” he said.
In a separate statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) expressed concern over what it described as the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s recent test launch of an intercontinental strategic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean.
While noting that the launch was described as part of China’s annual military training, the AFP said the demonstration of advanced strategic nuclear capability “compounds existing regional anxieties.”
“In line with the DND and national government pronouncements, the AFP maintains that peace, stability, and adherence to international law must guide all state actions in the Indo-Pacific,” the military said.
As the Philippines prepares to mark the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 arbitral ruling on July 12, the AFP reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.
The military also called for “transparency, restraint, and a cessation of actions that escalate tensions or threaten the rules-based international order.”
The Philippine statements came a day after the US Department of State said it had monitored China’s launch of an unarmed intercontinental-range ballistic missile from a submarine that landed in the southern Pacific Ocean.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Beijing’s “rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup is of great concern to the region and the world.”
“At a time when the United States is working harder than ever to prevent nuclear proliferation, China is doing the opposite,” Pigott said Monday.
The United States urged China to engage in meaningful arms control discussions and establish a regular notification arrangement for all intercontinental-range ballistic missile and space launches while reaffirming its defense commitments to allies and partners.
The latest statements come as tensions persist in the Indo-Pacific, including in the West Philippine Sea, where the Philippines and China have repeatedly confronted each other over disputed maritime features.
The Philippines initiated arbitration proceedings against China in January 2013 under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea following a standoff at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal the previous year, challenging Beijing’s sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea.
On July 12, 2016, an arbitral tribunal ruled overwhelmingly in favor of the Philippines, declaring that China’s so-called nine-dash line had no legal basis under international law and that several Chinese activities had violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights within its EEZ. China has consistently rejected the ruling.
Asked about the approaching anniversary of the landmark decision, Teodoro said the ruling had helped strengthen public awareness and national support for the Philippines’ maritime rights, adding that Manila would continue asserting its lawful claims despite Beijing’s continued rejection of the award./gsg
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