China's Wang Yi warns Philippines that deploying US missiles could trigger 'arms race'

"If the Philippines introduces the US intermediate missile system, it will create regional tension and confrontation, triggering an arms race, which is totally not in line with the interests and aspirations of the Filipino people," Wang said, according to state news agency Xinhua.

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Wang will also meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the summit.

China-Philippines relations are facing "serious difficulties and challenges", which are "rooted in the fact that the Philippine side has repeatedly violated the consensus of the two sides and its own commitments, [and] continuously pushed the infringement of rights at sea", Wang added.

"China-Philippines relations in recent years have proved time and again that it is not easy to build good relations, but it is easy to destroy them."

Ties between Beijing and Manila continue to suffer due to their overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea and military stand-offs in the disputed waters, particularly around the Second Thomas Shoal, known as Renai Jiao in China and Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines.

China claims most of the South China Sea, but the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have competing claims over the resource-rich waterway. In recent years Manila has been the most assertive in countering Beijing's claims, and the two sides have clashed near disputed reefs in recent months.

Their military stand-off has also intensified. China's most advanced aircraft carrier, the Shandong, and its CCG 5901 patrol ship, the world's biggest coastguard vessel, were detected near the Philippines this month.

Beijing has repeatedly expressed its concerns over Washington's growing military presence in the Philippines, particularly the midrange US missile system Typhon, which has been deployed to the northern Philippines since April.

Typhon is the first such missile system the US has deployed in the Asia-Pacific region. Its operational range covers most of the South China Sea, Taiwan and mainland China's eastern and southern coastal cities.

Wang's warning message comes after Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun told his US counterpart Lloyd Austin in May that the missile system severely threatened security in Asia and undermined regional peace and stability.

Despite the ongoing tensions, Beijing and Manila remain in regular communication.

The Philippines grounded the World War II-era BRP Sierra Madre on the shoal in 1999 and has stationed troops there to assert its claims over the area.

Manila disputed Beijing's suggestion that the two had agreed to prior notification and on-site verification by China.

On Saturday, the Chinese coastguard announced a Philippine civilian ship had carried "daily necessities" to the warship in the Second Thomas Shoal under the new agreement, and that the action had been monitored by China.

During the Saturday meeting, Wang said Manila should "honour its commitments and refrain from making any more changes or backtracking", referring to the agreement.

According to Xinhua, Manalo said "the Philippine side is committed to de-escalating the situation through dialogue and consultation and to dealing with differences constructively".

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