China seethes as Typhon missile system stays in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Beijing has voiced serious concerns over the Philippines' decision to hold onto a US mid-range missile system it received earlier this year that can target mainland China. 

The deployment of the powerful missile system in northern Philippines "gravely threatens regional countries' security" and triggers "geopolitical confrontation," Lin Jian, the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Thursday, September 19. 

Not directly mentioning the United States, the Chinese official called on the "relevant country" to "correct the wrongdoing as soon as possible" and "quickly pull out the missile system as publicly pledged."

Beijing's statement comes after Reuters reported on Thursday, Sepember 19 that the US has no immediate plan to pull out the Typhon missile system it deployed to the Philippines for joint exercises in April. The system can be equipped with cruise missiles capable of reaching targets from northern Philippines all the way to the Chinese mainland.

RELATED: US keeps missile system in Philippines as China tensions rise, tests wartime deployment 

Philippine officials told Reuters that Filipino and American troops are still training with the missile system. They were not aware of immediate plans to return it, even though the Salaknib joint exercises have concluded this month.

The Typhon was discreetly delivered to northern Luzon from an undisclosed location for use in the Balikatan military exercises in April (a separate exercise from Salaknib).  

The move drew the ire of China, who called on the Philippines to "think twice about being a cat’s paw for the US at the expense of its own security interests."

The plan to ship the missile system out of the country by September now appears to have been shelved. 

According to Reuters, which spoke to Philippine Army Spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala on Wednesday, September 18, the missile system was still being used for training, and the decision on when to remove it has been left up to the US Army Pacific.

An unnamed public affairs officer for the US Army Pacific, however, pointed back to the Philippine Army, according to the report. The officer said the Philippine Army