THE Philippines and its security allies will take measures to counter any attempt by China to impose an air defense zone or restrict freedom of flights over the South China Sea, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Wednesday, following confrontations between Chinese aircraft and those of his country, Australia and the United States.
Teodoro told The Associated Press (AP) in an interview that China’s increasing aggression in the disputed waters was now considered the greatest threat to the national security of the Philippines and should also be regarded as a global threat because it could choke a key trade route crucial for global supply chains.