Philippines says China ‘biggest disruptor’ of peace in Southeast Asia

MANILA: &nbsp, China is the “biggest disruptor” of peace in Southeast Asia, the Philippine defence chief said on Tuesday ( Aug 27 ), as tensions between Manila and Beijing over disputed reefs and waters in the South China Sea escalate.

Following numerous incidents of Philippine and Chinese vessels fighting each other in the lake over the past year, Gilberto Teodoro made the remarks at a US Indo-Pacific Command event.

Beijing ignores competing claims from other nations, including the Philippines, and an international decision that its position has no constitutional basis. It also rejects competing claims from other nations.

China’s says include islands and waters inside the Philippines ‘ Special Economic Zone, which extends about 370km from the country’s southern waters.

” China… is the biggest industry of global peace in the ASEAN place”, Teodoro said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.