China has warned the Philippines and other countries in the Indo-Pacific to be wary of US' supposed coercive actions as its Western rival allegedly advances its own interest in the region. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made the pronouncement after President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. announced that the new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites, where US troops would have access to, would spread across the Philippines. "Regional countries need to remain vigilant and avoid being coerced or used by the US," Wang said at a press conference. The Philippines has entered into the US a Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) to seek not only for military support but also for humanitarian assistance in various emergency situations. But Washington maintained that it would invoke its MDT with Manila in case of any armed attack against the Philippine troops and their assets anywhere, including in the South China Sea. As such, Wang accused Washington of remaining "trapped in a zero-sum mentality" as it keeps on increasing military deployment in the Asia-Pacific "out of selfish interests." Amid China's aggression in the South China Sea and its incursion into other countries' territorial waters, Wang also believed that US' activities "would escalate tensions and endanger peace and stability in the region." He said it is Beijing's "consistent belief that defense and security cooperation between countries needs to be conducive to regional peace and stability and not targeted at or harmful to the interests of any third party."