Defense ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang explained at an October 29 briefing why China's defense minister skipped the 13th ADMM-Plus and an embassy attache attended instead. Global Times carried the remarks; Manila's position was not included in that report.
According to Global Times, spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang was asked at the ministry's regular press conference on October 29 why China sent an attache rather than the defense minister to this year's 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in the Philippines. Zhang described the forum, launched in 2010, as the highest-level and largest defense and security dialogue mechanism in the Asia-Pacific, useful for trust and regional stability.
광고 문의 · 300×250Beijing's stated reasons
Zhang said the Philippines, this year's rotating chair, let ‘certain politicians act recklessly and misuse public institutions’ and thereby obstructed China's attendance, undermining ASEAN's consensus principle and diplomatic etiquette. He said many ASEAN members had questioned or opposed this. The Global Times report offered no separate evidence for the ‘many members’ claim.
Zhang said China still sent a representative to show support for ASEAN centrality and a responsible approach to regional security cooperation. The ministry had earlier announced that the defense attache at the Chinese embassy in Manila would represent China and exchange views on dialogue, mutual understanding and regional security.
He also accused Manila of ‘hijacking ASEAN and stirring trouble’, saying this harms the forum's reputation and ASEAN unity and would ultimately hurt the Philippines' own interests. These are the views of a Chinese government spokesperson.
Reactions from the Philippine government or other ASEAN members, and what was actually discussed at the meeting, could not be confirmed by this paper. Relations have been tense in recent months over the South China Sea and other issues, and we will follow up once Manila offers its account.