By Anadolu staff
China on Friday asked the Philippines to “quickly” withdraw a US mid-range missile system, local media reported.
"The Philippines should not sacrifice its own security interests to benefit the US, and should adhere to the previous commitments and quickly withdraw the mid-range missile system," state-run Global Times quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian as saying.
The US deployed the missile system as part of the annual joint military drills "Balikatan 2024" with the Southeast Asian archipelago in late April.
Beijing has repeatedly expressed its concerns over Washington’s growing military presence in the Philippines, particularly the mid-range US missile system Typhon.
Last month, a Philippine military spokesman said that the missile system would be returned to Washington in September.
China and the Philippines are also engaged in a confrontation in the South China Sea over disputed shoals.
China claims most of the South China Sea, but the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have competing claims over the resource-rich waterway.
*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid