Beijing: Security reliance on others may backfire

China has commented on the “Balikatan” military exercises, stating that such initiatives should not undermine stability in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a statement published by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on X.

“The world has seen enough damage done by unilateralism and abuse of military might. The last thing the Asia-Pacific needs is division and confrontation. No military cooperation should be conducted at the expense of peace, stability and trust in the region,” the statement said.

MFA Spokesperson on the Balikatan military drill:

The world has seen enough damage done by unilateralism and abuse of military might. The last thing the Asia-Pacific needs is division and confrontation. No military cooperation should be conducted at the expense of peace,… pic.twitter.com/HFmvkUIyyy

— CHINA MFA Spokesperson 中国外交部发言人 (@MFA_China) April 20, 2026

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian added: “For countries that tie their own security to others, it is important to bear in mind that this may very well backfire.”

He was referring to concerns over military cooperation in the region, including joint exercises involving the United States and the Philippines.

Earlier reports indicated that the United States launched large-scale “Balikatan” military drills with the Philippines aimed at countering China’s regional influence.

By Jeyhun Aghazada