BEIJING - China on July 31 warned the Philippines that it risks “greater insecurity for itself”, after the United States said it would provide US$500 million (S$670 million) in additional military funding to Manila in the face of Beijing’s growing assertiveness.

       In Manila on July 30, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken unveiled what he called a “once in a generation investment” to help modernise the Philippine armed forces and coast guard.

       Asked about the announcement, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry on July 31 warned Manila that “wooing countries from outside the region to provoke confrontation in the South China Sea will only undermine regional stability and aggravate tensions”.

       “Trying to introduce external forces to protect its own security will only lead to greater insecurity for itself, and it might even become someone else’s pawn,” spokesman Lin Jian said.

       The latest high-level US visit follows a series of escalating confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the disputed waterway that has raised concern that Washington could be dragged into a conflict due to its mutual defence treaty with Manila.

       The Philippines’ proximity to the hotly contested South China Sea, as well as self-ruled Taiwan, would make it a key partner for the US if conflict were to break out in the region.

       Beijing claims almost the entire waterway, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis, and considers democratic Taiwan to be part of its territory. AFP

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