BEIJING, China — China warned the United States on Thursday against bringing "conflict and the chaos of war" to the Asia-Pacific, after Washington and its allies said they would weigh building a weapons base in the Philippines. A US-led intergovernmental defence group agreed last week to assess funding for a new ammunition assembly and production line in the Philippines, according to a joint statement. China's foreign ministry warned on Thursday that a potential ammunition facility would destabilise the region and "backfire". "If the relevant country is willing to be a powder keg and ammunition depot, it will only backfire on itself," he said, when asked about the potential new facility. Beijing and Manila have clashed frequently in recent years over disputed territories in the South China Sea.

Source: Philippine Star March 27, 2026 02:17 UTC