China has cautioned against external military involvement in the Asia-Pacific region, saying that peace and stability should remain the top priority amid ongoing joint military exercises between the United States and the Philippines.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the Asia-Pacific region requires “peace and tranquility” rather than the introduction of external forces or actions that could fuel division and confrontation.
Responding to questions regarding the annual military drills conducted by the United States and the Philippines, which began the same day, Guo said unilateral actions and military intimidation have already caused serious harm globally.
He stressed that defence and security cooperation between countries should not undermine mutual trust among regional states or threaten regional peace and stability, nor should it target or harm third parties.
Guo further warned that excessive reliance on external security arrangements could prove counterproductive, saying that blindly binding oneself in such frameworks would ultimately “backfire and cause harm.”