Beijing Threatened by US Missile Launcher on South China Sea Edge

China will not “sit idly by” as it is threatened by a United States missile system deployed in the Philippines that can target the country from the South China Sea, Beijing warned.

Newsweek has contacted the Pentagon and the Philippine military for comment by email.

Why It Matters

The U.S. Army has deployed a Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile system, also known as Typhon, in the Philippines since April 2024. It can fire two types of missiles for land attack, air defense, and anti-ship missions, striking targets up to 1,000 miles away.

The Typhon was initially deployed for exercises, but both nations later decided to keep it there “indefinitely.” China, which has territorial disputes with the Philippines in the South China Sea, has denounced the U.S. missile deployment as a “highly dangerous move.”

What To Know

The Philippines has breached its commitments to shipping out the Typhon after drills, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun at a press conference on Wednesday.

“This is not only ridiculous but also extremely dangerous,” the spokesperson claimed with reference to remarks made by Philippine defense chief Gilberto Teodoro, who revealed last November that Manila is planning to acquire the Typhon to enhance its capabilities.

In a recent interview with The Japan Times, Teodoro said the plan “is in the pipeline” but did not specify whether the Philippines wants the Typhon or a similar weapon. He refuted China by arguing the plan is aimed at protecting “our territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

The Philippines, which is a U.S. treaty ally, is “introducing geopolitical confrontation and risk of arms race into the region,” the Chinese spokesperson added, accusing the Typhon deployment of harming what he called the “legitimate security interests” of other nations.

The Typhon dispute has exacerbated Philippines-China tensions when both sides are engaging in maritime standoff. In January, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. demanded China stop its aggressive behavior in the South China Sea in exchange for the Typhon’s removal.

The U.S. Army claimed that the missile deployment aimed to enhance Philippine maritime defense capabilities. Following the relocation of the Typhon with the Philippines earlier, the U.S. military said the move did not indicate the Typhon would be there “permanently.”

What People Are Saying

Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a press conference: “We call on the Philippines to change its course, and make a strategic choice that truly serves the fundamental interest of itself and its people, rather than staying on the wrong path and hurting the Philippines itself when it comes to issues like Typhon.”

Gilberto Teodoro, the defense secretary of the Philippines, told The Japan Times: “We feel we have the right to field these deterrent capabilities … because we are operating under an open, transparent and democratic governmental system that has shown more maturity and responsibility under international law than the sole objector to us having these capabilities, which is China.”

What Happens Next

It remains to be seen when the Typhon will be removed from the Philippines. It was not clear whether its capability of hitting moving targets will be tested during the deployment.