China’s military has condemned the Philippines over reports that a second U.S. intermediate-range missile system may soon be deployed to the Southeast Asian country.
“Inviting wolves into the house will ultimately harm oneself and destroy one’s own home,” Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang warned Thursday, in a clear rebuke of United States involvement.
Newsweek reached out to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. Department of Defense for comment.
Why It Matters
The U.S. Army first deployed the Mid-Range Capability, or “Typhon,” missile system to Luzon, the Philippines’ main island, in the spring of 2024, ahead of joint drills with Philippine forces. The platform is capable of firing both Standard Missile-6 interceptors and Tomahawk missiles, which can reach parts of southern China.
Philippine officials maintain that the missile launcher is purely for defensive purposes and not directed at any particular country.
China has repeatedly called the presence of both systems destabilizing and demanded their removal. The issue has further strained ties with the U.S. defense treaty ally, already tense due to the long-running South China Sea dispute.
What To Know
During the Chinese Defense Ministry’s regular press conference on Thursday, Zhang was asked about reports that another Typhon missile system could be stationed in the Philippines.
Zhang said the Asia-Pacific region “is not a gladiatorial arena for major powers” and warned Manila not to “repeat the mistakes of the past.”
U.S. Army
“The Philippines has intensified its efforts to introduce strategic and tactical weapons, tied itself to the U.S. chariot, and undermined regional security and stability by acting for the tiger, which seriously runs counter to the common interests of the people of the countries in the region,” the official said.
Newsweek was unable to verify whether a second Typhon unit is currently scheduled for deployment in the Philippines. But a U.S. Indo-Pacific Command official, speaking on background last month, told reporters the deployment would move forward “if they [the Philippines] say yes.”
Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Roy Galido previously expressed interest in acquiring more Typhon units, citing their feasibility and role in archipelagic defense.
The Mid-Range Capability will be featured during the U.S.-Australian-led Exercise Talisman Sabre military drills in late July and early August. It will be the first Typhon system to be test-fired in the Indo-Pacific region.
Earlier this year, the Philippines received additional U.S. firepower in the form of NMESIS ship-killing missiles deployed to Batanes, the northernmost province facing the China-claimed island of Taiwan.
What People Are Saying
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. responded to criticism of the Typhon deployment in January: “I don’t understand the comments on the Typhon missile system. We don’t make any comments on their missile systems, and their missile systems are a thousand times more powerful than what we have.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters during his first official visit to Manila in late March: “We have already set a robust agenda for the next few years. Our staff, both of us, are going to remain actively engaged. It reflects the strength of our ironclad alliance, particularly in the face of communist China’s aggression in the region.”
What Happens Next
The Philippines is expected to continue strengthening ties with the U.S. and other friendly regional powers, with an eye toward China’s assertive actions in support of its territorial claims within the Philippines’ maritime zone.
