According to Reuters on February 1, Marcos of the Philippines has approved the third phase of the modernization plan for the fleet, which includes the purchase of the country's first submarine.
According to the report, a spokesman for the Philippine Navy, Roy Trinidad, claimed on the same day that the third phase of military modernization reflects the transformation of the Navy's national defense strategy from the inside to the outside. He declared that the first and second phases of the Philippine military's modernization were "land-centric," while the third phase would seek to bolster military capabilities in the so-called "West Philippine Sea."
Trinidad reportedly declared, "We may not be a large naval ......."But we will have a navy capable of preserving our territorial rights and sovereignty. He did not immediately disclose how many submarines the Philippines intends to buy, but according to him "there are certainly more than one." He also said that France, Spain, South Korea and Italy have all expressed interest in providing submarines to the Philippines.
Reuters mentioned that recently, relations between the Philippines and China have become increasingly tense due to disputes in the South China Sea.
According to previous reports, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines recently said that the Philippines plans to develop islands and reefs in the South China Sea and purchase more ships and radars. Some analysts believe that the Philippines also intends to build an outpost in the South China Sea.
In this regard, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, said on January 25 that whether to buy a ship or not is a matter for the Philippine side, but China will never allow anything that infringes on China's sovereignty and security and undermines regional peace and stability.
Wu Qian said that China's indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters has sufficient historical and legal basis. China firmly opposes any form of construction activities carried out by the Philippines on China's illegally occupied Nansha islands and reefs. At present, China-Philippines relations are facing difficulties, which are rooted in the Philippines' treachery, collusion with foreign powers, and continuous infringement and provocation in the South China Sea, undermining China's legitimate and lawful rights and interests. We call on the Philippine side to respect history, recognize reality and refrain from following the wrong path. China is willing to resolve differences with the Philippines through bilateral dialogue and consultation, but if the Philippines insists on going its own way, China will resolutely counteract it.
**: Global Network
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