Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian reiterated Beijing’s firm opposition to Manila’s move, which he said undermines peace and stability in the region while arousing vigilance and concerns among neighboring countries.

“The Philippine side should be aware of the United States’ true purpose, respond to the regional countries’ concerns, refrain from sacrificing its security interests, and withdraw the system as soon as possible, following its previous public commitments,” Lin stressed.

The Philippine army said the US missile systems’ deployment was mainly for training exercises.

Earlier, China condemned the decision as seeking a unilateral military advantage in the Asia-Pacific region and urged Washington to stop any action that undermines regional stability.

This is the first deployment of land-based missile systems since the United States withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and some analysts say the move is aimed at deterring China.

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