Philippines' military drills with US opposed by regional countries: Chinese FM spokesperson

BEIJING -- The Philippines' decision to conduct the large-scale military drills with the United States has been detested and opposed by regional countries, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said here on Monday.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks in response to the annual military drills between the United States and the Philippines, which started on Monday. The exercise has come as Beijing and Manila are in a dispute over the South China Sea.

"With the world being hit by unilateralism, protectionism and bullying, countries in this region have been calling for greater solidarity, coordination, and joint efforts to keep the region stable and respond to challenges," noted Guo at a daily news briefing.

Against this backdrop, the Philippines chose to conduct the large-scale military drills with this country outside the region and brought in strategic and tactical weapons to the detriment of regional strategic stability and regional economic prospects, which puts them on the opposite side of regional countries, said Guo.

"This act has been detested and opposed by regional countries," he added.

Guo said that the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and is at the core of China's core interest.

China firmly opposes any country using the Taiwan question as an excuse to strengthen military deployment in the region, heighten tensions and confrontation, and disturb regional peace and stability, Guo stressed.

"We urge relevant sides not to make provocation on the Taiwan question. Those who play with fire will perish by it," said the spokesperson.