Ministry of Defense Responds to US-Philippines "Shoulder to Shoulder": The Asia-Pacific Region Most Does Not Need External Forces to Create Division and Confrontation

On the afternoon of April 30, the Ministry of Defense held a regular press conference, where Major General Zhang Xiaogang, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, answered questions from reporters.

A reporter asked: According to reports, the U.S. and the Philippines are conducting the largest-ever "shoulder-to-shoulder" joint exercises in the Philippines and the surrounding South China Sea, with a total troop strength of 17,000. Philippine Defense Secretary Teodoro claimed that this is a collective deterrent against China. At the same time, the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army announced that it recently organized the 107th formation to conduct training activities in the waters east of Luzon Island in the Philippines, stating that this is a necessary action in response to the current regional situation. What is the spokesperson's comment on this?

Zhang Xiaogang stated that what the Asia-Pacific region needs most is peace and tranquility, and what it needs least is the introduction of external forces to create division and confrontation. Certain individuals in the Philippines, for their own selfish interests, are willing to act as pawns for the U.S., maliciously smearing and attacking China, and interfering with and undermining the overall situation of China-Philippines relations. We firmly oppose this.