China must overcome deficit of trust: Philippines

China has a “deficit of trust and credibility” it needs to overcome in order to mend its fraught defence ties with the Philippines, though any breakthrough in the near term remains unlikely, Manila’s top defence official said on Saturday.

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Defence secretary Gilberto Teodoro told Reuters that the threat of China’s growing military prowess was “undeniable,” echoing comments from Pete Hegseth, the counterpart from his U.S. treaty ally.

“China's activities are getting more expansive and more aggressive. Their demonstrations of force are getting more frequent, and in the West Philippine Sea, we are getting used to their activities, but they have expanded the areas where they are doing it,” he said, referring to the South China Sea.