Philippines' deployment of Tyohon 'absurd and dangerous': spokesman

It's "absurd and extremely dangerous" for the Philippines to worsen the South China Sea issue with the deployment of the Typhon intermediate-range missile system by the United States in the country, a spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense said on Friday.

The spokesman Zhang Xiaogang made the remarks during an online news briefing, responding to recent comments by US and Philippine officials.

He criticized that the Philippines has treated its own security and the well-being of its people, as well as regional peace and stability, as bargaining chips.

The US Indo-Pacific Command recently said that the Typhon mid-range missile system had been relocated from the Laoag airfield to another location on the island of Luzon and that the relocation, however, was not an indication that the batteries would be permanently deployed in the Philippines.

Additionally, the Philippine side recently said that it would return the Typhon system to the US so long as China stops claiming its territory, harassing its fishermen and attacking its ships.

Zhang said that the Chinese side has made clear multiple times our firm opposition against the US deployment of the Typhon missile system in the Philippines which is a strategic and offensive weapon.

"The Philippine side has repeatedly gone back on its words and brought in the system to cater to the US side," he said. "Such a decision would only place its national security and defense in the hands of others, and lead to geopolitical confrontation and risks of arms race in the region.

"It's like holding a candle to the devil and playing the jackal to the tiger," said the spokesman.

Zhang reiterated that the territorial scope of the Philippines, as defined by a series of international treaties, does not include China's Nansha Islands and Huangyan Island.

Those international treaties include the 1898 Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, the 1900 Treaty between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain for Cession of Outlying Islands of the Philippines, and the 1930 Convention between His Majesty in Respect of the United Kingdom and the President of the United States regarding the Boundary between the State of North Borneo and the Philippine Archipelago.

"It's legitimate, lawful and beyond reproach for the Chinese side to conduct law-enforcement activities in relevant waters," he said.

The official stressed that by using the deployment of Typhon as a bargaining chip on the South China Sea issue, the Philippine side is selling out its own national security, putting the well-being of its people and regional peace and stability at grave risk.

"Such behavior is not only ridiculous and also extremely dangerous," he said.

Zhang required the Philippine side to recognize the high sensitivity and severe consequences of this issue, remove the Typhon missile system as soon as possible to honor its open promises and return to the right track of dialogue and consultations at an early date.

"The Chinese side will continue to take necessary measures to resolutely counter provocations and infringements and safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," he said.