A prominent senator in the Philippines has caused a stir by posting a video on the social media platform TikTok, claiming that she knows that China plans to attack the Philippines with hypersonic missiles. The Filipino military has expressed serious concerns about this revelation.
Imee Marcos, the sister of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the statement in a short video that has garnered over 940,000 views on TikTok and over 100,000 views on Facebook.
According to reports from a Philippine news agency, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) stated on Wednesday that they are ready to engage with Senator Marcos regarding her claim that 25 regions could potentially be targets of Chinese hypersonic missiles. The military is assessing the potential threat posed by these claims.
AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla stated, “The Philippine Armed Forces are seriously concerned about Senator Imee Marcos’ claims that due to the military bases in the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and the situation in the West Philippine Sea, China’s hypersonic missiles may target 25 regions. We are prepared to collaborate with Senator Marcos to obtain detailed information and take appropriate action to ensure national security.”
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense, Foreign Ministry, and the Chinese Embassy in Manila have not yet responded to requests for comment on the video from Reuters. Both the office of President Marcos and Senator Marcos have also not responded to requests for comments. The U.S. Embassy has stated that they are refraining from commenting at this time.
The video was released by Senator Marcos on Tuesday during talks between the Philippines and China regarding territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Tuesday indicating that talks were held between the Philippines and China regarding the South China Sea issue. Both parties agreed to “de-escalate tensions in the South China Sea” and have made “substantial progress” in managing the situation despite “significant differences.”
In the video, Senator Marcos claimed, “With tensions escalating in the West Philippine Sea, I have seen China planning to use hypersonic missiles.” She mentioned that China has identified 25 targets around the Philippine archipelago, with the northern islands of the Batanes group near Taiwan being among the prime targets. However, Senator Marcos did not provide evidence to support her claims.
The West Philippine Sea refers to the waters within the exclusive economic zone of Manila.
Former U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger stated on Tuesday that Chinese authorities view the current standoff in the South China Sea with the Philippines as a “rehearsal” for a potential aggression against Taiwan.
Philippine Department of National Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong stated in a release, “We cannot comment on or respond to Senator Marcos’ video as we have not seen or read about the plans she mentioned.”
Previously, China criticized the Philippines for signing a military agreement with the U.S., which they claimed escalated regional tensions.
Beijing also expressed dissatisfaction over the deployment of U.S. “Typhoon” missiles during joint military exercises in the Philippines.
Under the 1951 U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty, the U.S. is obligated to assist the Philippines in defending its troops and vessels against armed attacks, reaffirming its steadfast commitment to allied nations.
In 2014, the U.S. and the Philippines reached the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), allowing American forces access to five Philippine military bases for joint exercises, counter-terrorism efforts, humanitarian aid, regional military operations, and logistical support.
Due to heightened tensions in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, the number of U.S. military bases in the Philippines increased to nine last year.