Thu Apr 03 06:42:14 UTC 2025: **Philippines to Buy US F-16 Fighter Jets: No Threat to China, Says Official**
MANILA, April 3, 2025 – The Philippines’ planned purchase of 20 F-16 fighter jets from the United States will not target any third party, including China, according to a Philippine security official. National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya issued this reassurance on Thursday, following the U.S. State Department’s approval of a potential $5.58 billion sale.
The Pentagon stated the jets will enhance the Philippines’ territorial patrol capabilities and improve military interoperability with the U.S. While the U.S. government has yet to officially notify the Philippines, the announcement follows a recent visit by U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who reiterated Washington’s commitment to its mutual defence treaty with the Philippines and pledged to strengthen deterrence against threats, particularly from China.
Mr. Malaya emphasized that the acquisition is solely for modernizing the Philippine military and is not intended as a hostile act. China’s extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea, which overlap with several Southeast Asian nations, remain a point of contention. A 2016 international tribunal ruling rejected China’s claims, a decision Beijing continues to ignore.
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