China rejects Kiko Pangilinan statement on Taiwan military exercisesSen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, during the continuation of the public hearing on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, says there is sufficient circumstantial evidence to believe that local businessmen and government officials are in connivance with Chinese smuggling syndicates. MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese Embassy in Manila rebuked Sen. Kiko Pangilinan's criticism of Beijing's recent military drills around Taiwan, saying his "wrongful" remarks go against the Philippines' commitment to the one-China policy. “It is the season of goodwill, but China’s two-day military drills encircling Taiwan have brought ill will all around,” he said in a statement Thursday, January 1. Drills draw regional concernChina earlier this week closed the year with two days of live-fire military drills around Taiwan, including missile launches and simulations of a blockade of key ports. Taiwan condemned the exercises as highly provocative, while Beijing said they were aimed at deterring separatism and foreign interference.

Source: Philippine Star January 02, 2026 02:33 UTC