Philippines’ Teodoro says China could exploit cuts in US-South Korean exercises

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro expressed concern that China could capitalize on reduced US-South Korean military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking to Reuters during the Seoul Defense Dialogue, Teodoro stated that while the US had reassured Manila of its commitments, Beijing could seize the opportunity to reassert its influence.

He emphasized that China typically exploits gaps in regional security arrangements. Teodoro reiterated that US-Philippine military activities had not diminished and cooperation continued to expand. He also noted that the US decision to scale back exercises with South Korea had sparked debate on US deterrence in Asia and the potential for rivals like China to perceive a weakening of US resolve.

Teodoro assured that Manila received clear assurances from Washington and that the changes in South Korea would not impact the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty commitments. In addition to deepening defense ties with the US, Teodoro highlighted that Manila is broadening security partnerships with other nations, including Canada, New Zealand, France, and Britain.

He criticized China's reliance on influence operations and foreign media to distort narratives. When asked about potential joint oil and gas exploration talks between the Philippines and China, Teodoro expressed doubt, citing ongoing sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea. He spoke to South Korean officials to explore deeper defense industrial cooperation and emerging technologies, although a submarine acquisition program remained uncertain due to mission requirements and infrastructure needs.

Teodoro emphasized that concerns about China's actions were fostering closer security cooperation across the region, potentially leading to a more interconnected Indo-Pacific security network.