Minister: Philippines remains under threat from China despite Trump-Xi summit

"The commitment of the United States becomes more solid when more actors, at least in the deterrence phase, come in, because there is a common threat."

The Philippines' policy toward China, Teodoro said, is to build resilience by resisting pressure, strengthening alliances as needed, and rapidly upgrading defence infrastructure, "in a very realistic and rapid way."

Nothing has changed, he said, referring to reports that China had offered fertiliser and fuel to the Philippines during shortages triggered by the war in the Middle East.