Philippines expresses concern on China rocket launch

The Philippines has expressed concern about the launch of China's Long March 12 rocket that was seen over Puerto Princesa City in Palawan last Monday.

At a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro conveyed the Philippines' position as she read the statement of Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro on the matter.

"The Philippines notes with concern China's launch of its Long March 12 space launch vehicle on 04 August 2025 which resulted in debris falling into Philippine waters," Castro read.

She added, "The Philippines takes this opportunity to urge all spacefaring states to conduct their space activities in a manner consistent with norms of responsible behavior and with due regard to the rights of interest of other states."

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reminded Beijing of a commitment made between President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and President Xi Jinping in 2023 "on the appropriate notification mechanisms on rocket launches and resulting procedures on the management of post-launch impacts."

The department deferred comments on technical and safety matters to the Philippine Space Agency (PSA) and other concerned agencies.

Puerto Princesa residents reported hearing explosions on Monday just as a fiery object crossed the sky. The ground shook as a result of the blasts.

Chinese state media said the Long March-12 rocket, which successfully brought into pre-set orbit a group of internet satellites, launched from a commercial spacecraft site Monday night in China's southern province of Hainan.

Castro, meanwhile, assured that the incident was not a cause for concern.

"As of the moment, wala naman daw pong dapat ikabahala (As of the moment, it's not a cause for concern)," Castro said.

"Titingnan po muna kung may nalabag pero as of the moment parang wala naman po nakikita na paglabag ng anuman," she added.

(We will determine if they violated anything, but as of the moment it seems there's no violation.) 

GMA News Online has requested comment from the Chinese Embassy in Manila regarding the matter, but it has yet to respond as of posting time.

The PSA and the Philippine Coast Guard had confirmed that the smoke trail and loud sound reported in Palawan were associated with China's rocket launch.

The public was then advised to remain vigilant and report any sightings of potential debris.

The National Security Council has condemned the incident, deeming it as an irresponsible move by China. — with a report from Michaela del Callar/ VDV, GMA Integrated News