Soldiers of the Philippine Army Photo: AA/ABACA / Abaca Press
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has said that the country will inevitably be drawn into a conflict in the event of an invasion of Taiwan. General Romeo Browner has ordered the military on the northern island of Luzon to start planning possible actions, stressing that the situation could directly affect the Philippines, AFP reports.
According to him, the main mission of the army will be to evacuate about 250,000 Filipinos working in Taiwan. This statement was made against the backdrop of China’s large-scale military exercises near the island.
Browner also said that China is infiltrating government agencies, educational institutions, companies, religious communities, and the army itself. However, he did not provide any details.
The Philippines has already detained several Chinese nationals suspected of spying near military bases and coast guard ships.
Against this backdrop, the United States reaffirmed its commitment to the security of the region. Pentagon Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said that Washington was ready to maintain stability in the Pacific region, particularly in the Taiwan Strait.
The Philippines and the United States, which have a mutual defence agreement, will launch a large-scale joint military exercise on 21 April.
General Browner stressed that he did not want to create panic, but that the country should be prepared for any development.
