A Philippine military official expressed concern Thursday over China’s alleged deployment of surface-to-air missiles on a contested island in the South China Sea, saying the move threatens regional security.
“There is no reason to deploy them if you are not going use them. That’s one thing. It really impacts on the security of the region,” said Western Command chief Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez.
Western Command covers Palawan and the Philippine-claimed territories in the South China Sea.
Lopez raised fears that China may use the missiles to shoot down aircraft that do not respond to its warnings against flying over territory claimed by China.
The Taiwan Defence Ministry and US officials have said that missile batteries have been set up on Woody Island, which is under Chinese control but also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. Woody Island is not claimed by the Philippines.
China denied that it has deployed the missiles.
Lopez said that the situation could threaten the entire region.
The US said later that militarisation in the disputed region is unhelpful.
“There’s enough tension right now in the South China Sea over these disputed claims that we continue to believe militarisation ... is not conducive to lowering the tensions,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said in Washington.
“And it certainly has no role in what we believe should be the solution, which is work these things out, these claims, diplomatically and through international law - through an international process.”
He said that the US Navy would continue sailing through what it considers international waters, regardless of military installations.
“We have an obligation - as we do everywhere around the world - to exercise freedom of navigation in accordance with international law,” Kirby said.