Manila warns China may exploit US-South Korea drill cuts — SkimNews
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- Gilberto Teodoro warned at the Seoul Defense Dialogue that Beijing could exploit cuts to US-South Korea drills to reassert itself in the Asia Pacific, saying 'China is very quick to exploit gaps.'
- Teodoro also accused China of exploiting democratic systems to spread 'distortive narratives,' while saying Washington gave Manila 'definite assurances' its US commitments remain unchanged.
- Donald Trump ordered a 'substantial reduction' in the annual US-South Korea war games, with the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills ending six days earlier than planned; he cited his Kim Jong Un relationship and Seoul's refusal to join the US-Israel war on Iran.
- South Korea's presidential office said it was mulling 'contributions' to US freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, later clarifying any deployment requires National Security Council, cabinet, and National Assembly approval.
- Kim Yo Jong denied any ongoing communication with Trump and called Washington's policy 'hostile' — a direct rebuttal after Trump said he planned to meet Kim later this year.
- The US, South Korea, and Japan are set to begin five days of Freedom Edge drills Monday near Jeju Island; North Korea slammed the trilateral exercise as a 'reckless show of strength' aimed at 'laying siege to China and pressuring Russia.'
Why it matters: Manila accepts Washington's 'definite assurances' but publicly flags that scaled-back US-South Korea drills create a gap China is 'very quick to exploit' in the Asia Pacific. The upcoming US-South Korea-Japan Freedom Edge drills show the alliance maintains a layered posture despite the cuts.
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