China could take advantage of the recent reduction in U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises to re-establish its dominance across the Indo-Pacific, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. warned on Monday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Seoul Defense Dialogue, Teodoro cautioned that Beijing quickly maneuvers to capitalizes on strategic vacuums.
Responding to questions regarding China’s potential response to the scaled-back maneuvers, he stated:
“It is a possibility, of course. China is very quick to exploit gaps.”
He added that if viewed across the entire region, the adjustment “may signal some opportunity for China to reassert itself.”
The reduced scale of exercises, initiated last month by U.S. President Donald Trump, has raised questions among regional security analysts over American deterrence capabilities. However, Teodoro affirmed that Washington delivered clear assurances that its defense obligations to Manila under the Mutual Defense Treaty remain completely unchanged and unaffected.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines has expanded military ties with the U.S. while diversifying defense pacts with partners such as Canada, New Zealand, France, and Britain.
Teodoro also accused Beijing of using open, democratic systems to influence public discourse, stating:
“Definitely it takes advantage of democratic space in order to co-opt people and to use a free media to expand its distortive narratives.”
He noted that Manila is actively fortifying espionage and foreign interference regulations to counter these tactics.
On economic cooperation, Teodoro expressed skepticism regarding joint energy exploration with China, noting that maritime sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea remain difficult to separate from commercial partnerships.