MULING tinuligsa ng Chinese Embassy sa Manila nitong Miyerkules, Disyembre 25 si Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. dahil sa umano’y ”unjust accusation” nito sa pagtutol ng Beijing sa deployment ng Typhon missile system ng Estados Unidos sa Pilipinas.
”We firmly oppose and strongly condemn such a statement which is nothing but unjust accusation filled with ideological bias and based on bloc confrontation and the Cold War mentality,” anang taga pagsalita ng Chinese Embassy sa Manila.
Muling naungkat ang isyu hinggil medium range missiles kung saan ay nagpahayag ng pagtutol ang Beijing sa pahayag ni Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Roy Galido na plano ng military na bumili ng US Typhon missile system para depensahan ang maritime interest at soberanya ng Pilipinas .
Sinabi ni Teodoro na “the deployment of US mid-range missile assets to the Philippines in the context of joint exercises are completely legitimate, legal, and beyond reproach.”
Ipinunto ng Chinese Embassy sa Manila na hindi ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na si Teodoro ay gumawa ng ”unprofessional and ludicrous remarks.”
”In addition to habitually attacking and smearing China and its ruling party, he personally impedes and obstructs mil-to-mil contacts and exchanges between China and the Philippines,” anang embahada.
”We cannot help but wonder why and for whom he has been saying and doing in such an unconstructive way,” dagdag pa niya.
Wala pang tugon ang Palasyo at Department of National Defense kaugnay nito.
Tinuligsa rin ng embahada ang kalihim ng Tanggulang Pambansa hinggil sa pahayag umano ni Teodoro na : “discussions and consultations are the most useless phrase”in maritime dispute settlement. Such words run counter to President Marcos Jr’s instruction to deescalate maritime tensions through dialogue, and contradict both countries’ relentless diplomatic efforts to manage differences through communication and consultation.
China’s position on the U.S. deploying the Mid-Range Capability missile system in the Philippines is consistent and clear. Our part of the world is in need of peace and prosperity, not Mid-Range Capability missile system or confrontation. Once again we remind the Philippines to heed the call of regional countries and their peoples, and have the Typhon missile system promptly pulled out as it has publicly pledged, and stop going further down the wrong path.
