MANILA — Beijing has voiced strong opposition to the growing security collaboration between Taiwan and the Philippines, expressing serious concern over what it views as “negative developments” in regional affairs.
In a statement released on Friday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said its Department of Asian Affairs Director-General Liu Jinsong lodged a formal protest with Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime FlorCruz. Liu conveyed Beijing’s “strong dissatisfaction” and issued “stern representations” regarding the Philippines’ recent actions involving Taiwan and related maritime matters.
The protest comes shortly after a Washington Post report revealed a significant deepening of military cooperation between Manila and Taipei over the past year.
According to the report, Philippine scholars have taken part in confidential meetings with senior Taiwanese military officials to gain insights into Taiwan’s national defense strategies. Additionally, the Philippine Coast Guard reportedly conducted joint patrols with Taiwan in the Bashi Channel, a strategic waterway between the Philippines and southern Taiwan.
Last month, Taiwan was also invited to observe the Kamandag joint military exercise, led by U.S. and Philippine forces. Taiwanese naval and marine personnel reportedly took part in planning sessions and observation drills.
A Taiwanese government adviser cited in the report said, “Our security and military cooperation with the Philippines is going to get closer and closer,” hinting at a continuing trend of closer military interaction between the two democracies.
China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, has long opposed any official or defense-related exchanges between the island and other countries. The growing Taiwan-Philippines cooperation appears to further strain Manila-Beijing relations already complicated by ongoing maritime disputes in the South China Sea.
As of press time, the Philippine government has yet to issue an official response to China’s protest.
