PHILIPPINES PERSPECTIVE

Manila, July 9, 2026. The Philippine government condemns the firing of a Chinese ballistic missile in the Pacific, which occurred just days before the tenth anniversary of the 2016 arbitral victory against Beijing in the South China Sea, a coincidence that has not gone unnoticed in Manila.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirms that it received, on July 5, prior notification from China announcing the test, which was conducted the following day by a submarine of the People's Liberation Army Navy. The missile, carrying a dummy warhead, was launched from the South China Sea before falling into the Pacific, between Nauru and Tonga, according to a trajectory map published by the Taiwanese National Security Council. "We stress the importance of maintaining a calm, safe, and stable environment in the Indo-Pacific. Actions that erode trust are not conducive to dialogue," says DFA spokesperson Analyn Ratonel, calling on Beijing to exercise restraint and transparency.

The tone is decidedly tougher from the Department of National Defense (DND). Its spokesperson, Arsenio Andolong, describes the launch as a "reckless display of military power" and a "calculated act of provocation" against countries that reject China's expansionist claims, accusing Beijing of turning shared seas into "arenas of intimidation." The Philippine Armed Forces, through the voice of Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, emphasize the importance of respecting international law while acknowledging that the demonstration "exacerbates existing regional concerns."

Manila finds strong support in Washington: US Ambassador Lee Lipton cites a "rock-solid" seven-decade alliance and denounces a "provocative missile launch," which he sees as a sign of China's "rapid and secret" nuclear program. Beijing, through the Xinhua news agency, presents the test as a "routine exercise" not directed against any specific country.

For the Philippines, the sequence has a direct link to July 12, the tenth anniversary of the Hague arbitral ruling that invalidated China's claims in the South China Sea – an issue that remains at the heart of bilateral tensions.