China "should mind their own business," Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said after China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian condemned the live firing of Type 88 surface-to-ship missile of Japan during the Balikatan exercise in the Philippines.

In a press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday, Lin said that "not only has Japan, the aggressor, failed to deeply reflect on its historical crimes, it has even sent military forces overseas and fired offensive missiles under the pretext of security cooperation."

"The serious lack of education on true history, the fundamentally wrong historical views, compounded by strategies for military rearmament and preparation for war, have led to the malevolent emergence of neo-militarism in Japan and put regional peace and stability under threat," he added.

In an ambush interview with reporters after the closing ceremony of this year's Balikatan exercise, Teodoro expressed belief that it is China's activities that threaten regional stability.

"I am not convinced. It’s none of their business, they should mind their own affairs. They interfere with us, but they do not take care of their own affairs, especially their continued act of suppression to their citizens. It is also their way of distracting their people from their problems," he said.

"Their oppression in the West Philippine Sea and other areas even in Vietnam and recently in Malaysia and Indonesia... Secondly, they pretend to have business in trade, industry, but what are businesses? substandard steel, POGO, human trafficking, cybercrimes", he added referring to China's activities.

Following the firing of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Type 88 surface-to-ship missile during the maritime strike training of this year's Balikatan exercise in Ilocos Norte last May 6, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. expressed the intention of acquiring missile system that were used at the recent military drill.

"We have plans of procuring more of the missile systems that we saw, recently used here in the Balikatan exercise. That is the future direction of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as we modernize our capabilities," he said.

"Well, we’re not dealing with specifics yet. In general, that’s our plan. Because we're planning to look at similar weapon systems, because we need to develop our integrated air and missile defense," he added.

In an interview with the Philippine Shimbun, Lt. Col.Daisuke Ishikawa, Deputy Director of the JGSDF (Japan Ground Self Defense Force) Public Affairs, said the Type 88 surface-to-ship missile can also be deployed in Islands, noting that Philippines is an archipelagic country.

"It takes time but it's possible, if there is a big port we can deploy the SSM (surface-to-ship missile)," Ishikawa said.

When asked if Japan's surface-to-ship missile will temporarily stay in the country for future military exercises, Ishikawa said it will return to Japan together with the JGSDF after the Balikatan.

It can be recalled that the Typhon or the Medium Range Capability (MRC) missile system of the United States which was also fired during the exercise remains in the country since 2024. Robina Asido/PHS