Malacañang on Thursday remained silent on how China’s call for a “greater role” on defense cooperation in relation to the fight against terrorism would affect its relations with the country’s traditional ally, the United States.
“We cannot comment yet on how this would affect because it’s not yet there, with—insofar as the treaties with the United States is concerned,” Communications Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Paz Banaag said in a Palace news briefing.
On Wednesday, Beijing donated more than 3,000 units of rifles and some 6 million ammunitions to help Manila in its battle against Islamist gunmen who are holed up in Marawi City.
At the same time, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua expressed Beijing’s intentions to have a greater role in the Philippines’ ongoing pursuit against Islamic State-inspired militants—including the possibility of joint training, intelligence sharing and joint military exercises.
The small shipment of assault and sniper rifles and ammunition is the first example of Chinese military aid since Duterte threatened to move away from Manila’s traditional ally America and seek Beijing’s support.
The Philippines, however, has a mutual defense treaty with the United States and has long relied on US-supplied arms.
