国防部：菲方放任个别政客公器私用 重重设障阻碍中方参加东盟防长扩大会

The Philippine side allows individual politicians to misuse public resources and sets up numerous obstacles to hinder China's participation in the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Expanded Meeting.

On the afternoon of October 29, the Ministry of Defense held a regular press conference, where Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, answered reporters' questions.

Reporter: This year, the Chinese Defense Minister did not attend the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Expanded Meeting held in the Philippines, and China sent a military attaché to participate. What was the consideration behind this decision?

Zhang Xiaogang: The ASEAN Defense Ministers' Expanded Meeting is the highest-level and largest defense security dialogue and cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region. Since its establishment in 2010, it has provided an important platform for countries to enhance mutual trust and cooperation, and to maintain regional peace and stability. As the rotating chair country of this year's ASEAN Defense Ministers' Expanded Meeting, the Philippine side has allowed individual politicians to act recklessly and misuse public resources, setting up numerous obstacles to hinder China's participation. This severely undermines the principle of consensus within ASEAN, violates the spirit of openness and inclusiveness of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Expanded Meeting, does not conform to basic diplomatic etiquette, and harms China's legitimate rights as a member of the mechanism. Many ASEAN countries have expressed doubts and opposition to this. Against this backdrop, China still decided to send representatives to participate, demonstrating its firm support for ASEAN's central role and its responsible attitude towards regional defense security cooperation. The Philippine side's obstinacy, which hijacks ASEAN and stirs up trouble, undermines the reputation of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Expanded Meeting, damages the unity and mutual trust among ASEAN countries, and ultimately harms the fundamental interests of the Philippines and the countries and peoples of the region.