Philippines to remove u s missile system if china stops ‘sea aggression’

Philippines to remove u s missile system if china stops ‘sea aggression’

China had demanded the removal of the missile system, claiming it incites geopolitical confrontation and an arms race; the missile system was repositioned closer to Manila to enhance military readiness amid Philippines’ rising tensions with China.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered on Friday to remove a U.S. missile system from the Philippines if China halts what he called its “aggressive and coercive behaviour” in the disputed South China Sea.

The U.S. Army installed the Typhon mid-range missile system in the northern Philippines in April last year to support what the long-time treaty allies described as training for joint combat readiness.

China has repeatedly demanded that the Philippines remove the missile system, saying it was “inciting geopolitical confrontation and an arms race”.

Asked by reporters about China’s criticism of the missile system, Mr. Marcos said he did not understand the Chinese position because the Philippines does not comment on China’s missile systems which “are a thousand times more powerful than what we have”.

“Let’s make a deal with China: Stop claiming our territory, stop harassing our fishermen and let them have a living, stop ramming our boats, stop water cannoning our people, stop firing lasers at us and stop your aggressive and coercive behaviour, and we’ll return the typhon missiles,” Mr. Marcos told reporters.

Chinese officials did not immediately comment on the Philippine leader’s remarks.

The U.S. Army’s mobile Typhon missile system, which consists of a launcher and at least 16 Standard Missile-6 and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, was repositioned about two weeks ago from the northern Philippines to a strategic area nearer the capital, Manila, in consultation with Philippine defence officials, a senior Philippine official said.

The Philippine official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the sensitive issue in public, said the U.S. missile system is now nearer an area where Chinese and Philippine coast guard and Navy forces have been involved in increasingly tense face-offs in the South China Sea. Tomahawk missiles can travel over 1,600 km, which puts parts of mainland China within their range.