ISTANBUL

China on Thursday urged the US and the Philippines to avoid actions that could “harm” regional peace and stability as Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth prepared to visit Washington’s oldest military ally in Asia.

The US-Philippines military cooperation “must not harm other countries’ security interests or the peace and stability of the region,” China's Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian told reporters in Beijing, according to state media.

Hegseth, appointed as the US defense secretary after the inauguration of US President Donald Trump for a second term in January, is set to make his first visits to the Philippines and Japan this week.

Notably, Hegseth will not visit South Korea which hosts some 28,500 US troops, while Japan hosts more than 50,000 US troops, as well as bases.

“By the way, looking at history, the US has an astonishing record of breaking promises and betraying allies,” said China’s Defense Ministry spokesman.

Washington and Manila have longstanding ties, solidified by a mutual defense treaty, and the Philippines has granted the US military access to its bases.

The visit comes amid ongoing maritime tensions between Manila and Beijing, which both have overlapping claims in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

Regarding the potential for future military exchanges between China and the US, Wu said: “The two sides have reached some preliminary consensus on China-US military exchanges, which are advancing as planned.”

“Building a stable China-US military relationship serves the common interests of both sides and meets the expectations of the international community,” he added.

“To develop China-US military relations, it is essential to uphold the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, enhance communication and dialogue, and properly manage differences," said Wu.