The National Security Council views with serious concern China’s recent launch of an unarmed, intercontinental-range ballistic missile from a submarine into the South Pacific.
China may call the launch “routine,” but there is nothing routine about its consequences for regional security. A missile test of such range and capability, against the backdrop of continuing concerns over the pace and transparency of China’s military buildup, inevitably raises questions about strategic intent and regional stability.
The Pacific is home to sovereign nations and peoples whose security and peace must not be treated as secondary to unnecessary displays of military power.
As the Philippines marks the 10th Anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, we are reminded of a principle that extends beyond any single dispute: peace and stability endure when States act with due regard to the rights of other States.
The Philippines stands with its Pacific partners in calling for greater transparency and meaningful measures to reduce the risk of miscalculation and regional instability.
A secure region cannot be built on the ability to project power, but on the responsibility to exercise it with due regard to others.