Philippines says ASEAN NATO-style alliance impossible due to China-U.S. divide

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr during his speech on Monday Oct 14 2024 in Manila Philippines AP-Yonhap — Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. during his speech on Oct. 14, 2024, in Manila, Philippines. AP-Yonhap

SEOUL, November 07 (AJP) - Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said on Wednesday that a NATO-style alliance in Southeast Asia is currently impossible due to ASEAN members' divided allegiances between the United States and China.

"For example, we have defense alliances with the U.S. that predate ASEAN, and we continue to build alliances with like-minded nations," Teodoro said at a forum, noting that "other ASEAN countries have formed alliances with China."

The defense chief also called for ASEAN to acknowledge that China is "crossing the line" in the South China Sea, where Beijing claims about 90 percent of the waters within its nine-dash line. He emphasized that establishing ASEAN principles and responses to China's illegal maritime expansion would be "a very good first step and something we should work on."

AJP