Phl not taking sides on U.S. - China rivalry — Romualdez

The Philippines is "not taking sides" between its allies, the United States and China, House Speaker Martin Romualdez assured Wednesday (Switzerland time) amid Beijing's concerns on America's deployment of Typhon missile launchers in Luzon.

During his speech as a panelist at the Stakeholder Dialogue entitled “Navigating Asia’s Hotspots” at the World Economic Forum 2025 in Davos, Switzerland, Romualdez said the Philippines remains resolutely committed to safeguarding its sovereignty.

However, the House chief also made it clear that the escalating territorial dispute in the South China Sea (SCS) does not define the entirety of the Philippines’ bilateral relation with Beijing, a vital trade partner of the Philippines.

“Despite the President [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] being very firm on this policy of not giving up a single inch, we are working daily to de-escalate tensions. We do not want the South China Sea dispute to overshadow the many other facets of our relationship with China, including trade, education, and cultural exchanges,” Romualdez said.

He continued that, "We are not taking sides. The United States is our long-standing ally, and China is our largest trading partner. The Philippines is navigating a middle path where we maximize opportunities from both relationships while actively participating in the broader global community."

The Speaker made the remark on the heels of China's recent petition to the Philippines to immediately pull out the Typhon missile, reportedly moved from Laoag airfield to another location on the island of Luzon, and "correct the wrongdoing as soon as possible."

According to a report from Reuters, the Tomahawk cruise missiles in the launchers can hit targets in both China and Russia from the Philippines while the SM-6 missiles can strike air or sea targets more than 200 kilometers away.

Arms race

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning accused the Philippines of "essentially creating tensions and antagonism in the region and inciting geopolitical confrontation and an arms race.”

“This is a highly dangerous move and an extremely irresponsible choice for its own people, the people of the other Southeast Asian countries, and regional security,” she said in a press briefing.

Former Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate asserted that the Philippines hosting the US Typhon missile launchers could only make the country a "clear magnet for espionage and potential military strikes" and would not serve its intended purpose of defending the nation.

"The recent arrest of alleged spies targeting military installations, including areas where US weapons are deployed, demonstrates the real dangers of allowing our territory to be used as a US military outpost. These weapons of mass destruction in our soil are the real, clear, and present danger to our people and security," Zarate lamented.

The former lawmaker sounded the urgent call for Marcos to order the "immediate removal" of the Typhon system as well as all US weapons from the Philippines, which, he claimed, will only put the country at stake.

"Our constitution mandates an independent foreign policy, not one that makes us a pawn in great power conflicts," he concluded.

The series of aggressive confrontations between the Philippines and China — notwithstanding their pact in July to de-escalate their maritime dispute on the West Philippines Sea (WPS) — have further increased the geopolitical tensions in the contested waters.

China has territorial claims in nearly the entire SCS, which overlaps the WPS, notwithstanding a 2016 arbitral ruling that deemed its sovereignty assertion baseless. The ruling affirmed the Philippines' 200-nautical mile exclusive EEZ in the WPS.

China has repeatedly warned that the US, being not a party to the issues involving the SCS, has “no right to meddle” in the maritime issues between Beijing and Manila.