The Philippines on Tuesday condemned China’s recent ballistic missile test in the South Pacific, calling it a reckless act of intimidation that reflects Beijing’s broader pattern of coercive behavior in the Indo-Pacific.
In a statement issued on July 7, the Department of National Defense (DND) said the missile launch endangered regional stability and showed little regard for smaller nations and the environment.
“The Department of National Defense shares the concern about China’s recent ballistic missile test in the South Pacific, a reckless display of military power that shows little regard for smaller countries and the fragile ecological systems that sustain their people,” DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong said.
The department said the missile test “serves no peaceful purpose” and described it as “a calculated act of taunting and provocation against those who reject China’s illegal expansionism and coercive conduct.”
It added that the Philippines stands with its Pacific partners in urging Beijing “to act responsibly and stop turning shared seas into arenas of intimidation and imperial ambition.”
The statement came after China confirmed it had conducted a ballistic missile launch into international waters in the South Pacific as part of what it described as its annual military training program. Beijing said the exercise complied with international law and was not aimed at any specific country.
The test, however, drew concern from governments across the Indo-Pacific. Australia called it destabilizing, while New Zealand described it as an unwelcome development. Security analysts also noted that the launch came as China continues to expand its military presence and strategic influence across the Pacific, where competition between Beijing and its allies has intensified in recent years.
For the Philippines, the issue goes beyond the Pacific.
The Marcos administration has repeatedly accused China of using coercive tactics in the West Philippine Sea, where Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels have figured in numerous confrontations with Philippine ships operating within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Manila has also strengthened defense ties with allies such as the United States, Japan and Australia in response to growing security concerns in the region.
The DND’s latest statement signals that the Philippines sees China’s military activities not as isolated events but as part of a broader pattern affecting peace and security across the Indo-Pacific.
The Philippines has consistently maintained that disputes should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, including the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea. China has continued to reject that ruling.
