Philippines warns China may reassert itself amid US-South Korea drill cuts

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkSouth Korea's K-2 tanks fire during a South Korea-US joint military drill at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, South Korea [File: Jung Yeon-je/Reuters]By Reuters, Al Jazeera Staff, AP and ReutersPublished On 7 Sep 20267 Sep 2026Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has warned that Beijing could view recent cuts to the joint US-South Korea military drills as an opportunity to reassert itself in the Asia Pacific.Speaking on the sidelines of the Seoul Defense Dialogue, an annual multilateral security forum, Teodoro said that “China is very quick to exploit gaps”, when asked on Monday whether Beijing could seize on the move.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Alarm in South Korea as Iran dispute with Trump rattles a 72-year alliancelist 2 of 3North Korea fires ballistic missiles as US-South Korea drills near endlist 3 of 3South Korea says US cancelled upcoming joint marine exercises over Iran warend of listHe added that Washington had given Manila “definite assurances” that the US commitments to the Philippines remained unchanged.He also accused China of exploiting democratic systems to spread “distortive narratives”.US General Xavier T Brunson, commander of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command (CFC), the United States Forces Korea (USFK) and the United Nations Command (UNC), shakes hands with a US Army soldier during a US-South Korea joint river-crossing exercise near the Demilitarized Zone separating South and North Korea, in Yeoncheon, South Korea [Kim Soo-hyeon/Reuters]South Korea and the US shortened the duration of their annual joint military drills and scaled back field training exercises last month after US President Donald Trump ordered a “substantial reduction” in the annual war games.The US-led Ulchi Freedom Shield war games ended six days earlier than originally planned.Trump cited his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and linked the decision to Seoul’s refusal to join the US and Israel’s war on Iran at the time.Last week, South Korea’s presidential office said it was mulling “contributions” to the US’s freedom of navigation ⁠in the Strait of Hormuz. The presidential office later clarified that nothing has been decided, as any military deployment by South Korea requires a decision by the country’s National Security Council, a resolution at a cabinet meeting, and consent from the National Assembly.Trump said he planned to meet with Kim later this year. Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, later released a statement denying any ongoing communication between the US president and her brother and maintained that Washington continues to engage in a “hostile” policy towards her country, despite the warm relationship between the two leaders.US, South Korea and Japan hold trilateral military drillsThe US, South Korea and Japan are due to hold five days of military drills in waters east and south of South Korea’s Jeju Island starting on Monday.South Korea’s military said in a statement that the Freedom Edge exercise is defensive in nature and meant to respond to North Korean nuclear and missile threats as well as promote regional peace and stability.North Korea has previously slammed the trilateral drill as a “reckless show of strength” that proved its adversaries’ confrontational stance. Pyongyang has also said the drill contained a US intention to lay siege to China and exert pressure on Russia.