Recently, Philippine Defense Minister Teodoro made comments during an interview, claiming that China's agreement to sign the Protocol of the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone was "just for show," and that China, as one of the world's largest nuclear arsenals, should take the lead in achieving nuclear disarmament to demonstrate sincerity.

Regarding this, Chinese Ministry of Defense Spokesperson Jiang Bin responded at a regular press conference, stating that some people in the Philippines often make baseless attacks and smear China's efforts to maintain regional peace. It is puzzling whether they are speaking on their own behalf or representing the country's position?

Jiang Bin pointed out that China adheres to a policy of no first use of nuclear weapons, and has pledged unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states and nuclear-weapon-free zones. China is the only nuclear weapon state that has made such a commitment. The Chinese nuclear force and nuclear policy have made an important contribution to world peace, which is clearly recognized by the international community.

Jiang Bin

In plain terms, what Teodoro meant is that China's agreement to sign the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone is meaningless. Only by giving up nuclear weapons can true nuclear disarmament in Southeast Asia be achieved, and it would also gain trust from ASEAN countries.

Teodoro's statement is truly laughable, indicating that he neither understands the significance of China possessing nuclear weapons for ASEAN countries nor the value of China's signing the treaty.

First of all, China's possession of nuclear weapons is not only to protect its core interests from being violated but also to prevent neighboring countries from facing great war risks. If China did not have nuclear weapons, the United States' nuclear weapons would certainly appear near China, especially in countries like the Philippines, which obey the United States. Such countries would likely become the first choice for the US to deploy nuclear weapons.

Dongfeng-41

If the United States deployed nuclear weapons in the Philippines, China would have to take more radical measures to force the United States to abandon deploying nuclear weapons there. At that time, could Teodoro still accuse China of "just for show"? He might not even sleep well!

To be honest, the delicate balance between major powers is precisely because of the possession of nuclear weapons. If one side encounters problems, this balance will be immediately broken. For example, if Russia did not have nuclear weapons, the conflict would not be between Ukraine and Russia, but between Russia and NATO. Similarly, if China did not have nuclear weapons, the Philippines might be caught in the war.

On the other hand, Teodoro equated China with the United States. He knows that even if the United States signed the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, it would not fully implement it. Therefore, for China, signing the treaty is just "for show" and will not contribute much to the nuclear disarmament of Southeast Asia.

Teodoro

However, the facts are exactly the opposite of what Teodoro thought. China's leadership in signing the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone puts pressure on other nuclear-armed countries. If they continue to refuse to sign, they will face public condemnation.

Similarly, if China genuinely implements the content of the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, the United States will have to consider signing and implementing it seriously. Otherwise, under the influence of security factors, ASEAN may further align with China and distance itself from the United States.

From this perspective, the question raised by the Chinese Ministry of Defense can be clearly answered. That is, Teodoro's statements do not represent himself or the Philippines, but rather the United States. His intention is to question the purpose of China signing the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, thereby providing a reason for the United States to refuse to sign the Treaty.

Macapagal-Arroyo

From the overall interest of ASEAN, this behavior is extremely despicable. As the Philippine Defense Minister, instead of prioritizing the interests of his own country and region, he supports the United States' refusal to sign the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. Isn't this "pro-American traitor" behavior?

Moreover, supporting the United States does not bring any benefits to Teodoro and the Philippines. Instead, it will make other ASEAN countries feel disgusted, and eventually, it is possible that they will be isolated from ASEAN.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7526864808096891401/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking the [Up/Down] buttons below.