Nothing to fear – China

On the eve of the 85^th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Chinese defense ministry said the development of the Chinese armed forces “poses no threat to any nation” as they merely aim to “safeguard state sovereignty, security, and development interests.” Wu Xihua, PLA vice director of the Emergency Response Office, said the military has a long way to go to match “the world’s advanced levels” even as China opposes military intervention in the South China Sea. At the same time, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Philippines has no intentions of matching China’s military capabilities. Instead, he said, “What we are looking for is to establish a minimum credible defense posture.” The pronouncements come in the wake of territorial disputes in the South China Sea. China has established a military garrison while the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest over this incident on July 24.

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