The Philippine army announced on Monday, December 23, that it was considering acquiring an American medium-range missile system in order to protect its maritime interests, a project immediately described as an “arms race” and a “provocation” by Beijing. . At the end of April, the US military deployed the Typhoon missile system to the Philippines as part of annual joint military exercises, but decided to keep it there despite criticism from Beijing, which considered it destabilizing for the region. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers In the Philippines, the great return of the United States to counter China Read later “It is planned to acquire it because we see its feasibility and functionality in our concept of implementing the defense of the archipelago,” Philippine Army Chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido said at a news conference. “I am happy to announce to our compatriots that your army is developing this capability in the interest of protecting our sovereignty,” he said, adding that the total number of weapons to be acquired would depend “economic” considerations. Typically, it takes at least two years or more for the Philippine military to acquire a new weapons system from the planning stage, Galido said, adding that the system has not yet been budgeted. for 2025. The “medium capacity” land-based missile launcher, developed by the American company Lockheed Martin for the US military, has a range of 480 km, although a longer-range version is under development. In June, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun judged that the deployment of these missiles “seriously undermined regional security and stability”. China reiterated its opposition to this project on Monday, believing that it fuels an “arms race” in the region. The acquisition of this “offensive strategic weapon” is “a provocative and dangerous act aimed at (…) creating regional tensions and fueling geopolitical clashes,” declared Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, during a regular press briefing. Relations between Manila and Beijing have become strained in recent months, notably with the increase in skirmishes around reefs in the South China Sea that the two countries are fighting over. The Philippines is one of the United States’ closest allies in Southeast Asia. Washington and Manila have been linked since 1951 by a mutual defense treaty. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers China Sea: the Philippines facing Chinese appetite Read later Le Monde with AFP Reuse this content
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Author : News7
Publish date : 2024-12-23 14:20:14
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