PH denies 'commitment' to China to remove Typhon missiles

The Philippines on Friday denied making commitments to China to remove the US-deployed Typhon missiles in the country.

According to the National Security Council (NSC), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instead made an offer to pull out the mid-range capability missile systems in the Philippines should China stop its aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“The Philippines never promised People's Republic of China that we will withdraw the Typhon missile system in the Philippines,” said NSC spokesperson Jonathan Malaya in a media briefing.

“We never made any commitment to the PRC in this regard,” he said.

The Typhon missiles arrived in the country in 2024. The Philippine Army (PA) said the missile system is being used as part of the military training and exercises on modern weaponry.

“The missile system that is here is for primarily here for readiness, interoperability. Because we have a mutual defense treaty with the US…the Philippines troops have to be familiar with the weapon systems of our partners and allies," said Malaya.

“If the presence of the Typhon missile system is such a bother, the President has made a formal offer through media, which unfortunately we not received a proper response as of now,” he added.

'Breach' of 'commitments'

China earlier voiced its opposition to the deployment of Typhon missiles, saying it "will not sit idly by" with the threat posed by the deployment of the missile system amid the tensions in the South China Sea. Beijing likewise alleged that the Philippines “breached” its commitments.

“The Philippines has explained itself multiple times regarding the introduction of the Typhon system, pledging that the deployment was ‘temporary’ and that the system will be shipped out of the country after relevant military exercises,” said China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun.

“However, it has breached such commitments, claiming [it] would acquire its own midrange system and field these deterrent capabilities, and linking the South China Sea issue with the Typhon system,” he added.

A senior Philippine government source earlier said that the US military has moved its Typhon launcher from Laoag airfield in Ilocos Norte to another, undisclosed location in Luzon, Reuters earlier reported.

The Tomahawk cruise missiles in the launchers can hit targets in both China and Russia from the Philippines while the SM-6 missiles can strike air or sea targets at a range of more than 200 kilometers, the report said.

For offense, not defense?

Following the NSC's statements, Beijing urged the Philippines to withdraw the Typhon intermediate range missile system, the defense ministry said Friday, accusing the Southeast Asian nation of breaking its "promises" by introducing the missile system.

The system is part of a U.S. drive to amass a variety of anti-ship weapons in Asia. The weapon drew sharp criticism from China when first deployed in April 2024 during a training exercise.

The Philippines was not "only giving up its own security and national defense to others, but also introducing the risks of geopolitical confrontation and arms race into the region," said Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesman for the Chinese defense ministry.

The missile system is a "strategic offensive weapon" and the Philippine side had "repeatedly broken its promises and catered to the U.S. side in introducing this system," he added.

The Philippine embassy and the U.S. embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to requests for comment. -- with a report from Reuters/ VAL/ VDV, GMA Integrated News