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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PH, Australian defense chiefs condemn China's missile test in South China Sea

PH, Australian defense chiefs condemn China's missile test in South China Sea

Published Aug 7, 2026 06:45 pm

At A Glance

  • Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles criticized China's recent submarine-launched ballistic missile test in the South China Sea and called for advance notification of strategic missile launches.
  • Manila and Canberra welcomed progress on the Defense Cooperation Arrangement, infrastructure projects under the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept, and deeper intelligence and surveillance cooperation.
  • The two countries reaffirmed participation in major drills, including Balikatan, Pitch Black and Carabaroo in 2026 and Alon in 2027.
(L-R) Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles and Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Photo: DND)
(L-R) Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles and Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Photo: DND)
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles on Friday, Aug. 7, denounced China’s recent ballistic missile test in the South China Sea, saying it escalated regional security risks.
Teodoro and Marles expressed concern over the People’s Liberation Army-Navy’s (PLA-N) test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) that flew over the Philippines and into the Pacific during the third Philippines-Australia Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Darwin, Australia.
“Ministers called on all relevant countries to commit to participate in arrangements for providing appropriate advance notification of intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles to affected states,” Teodoro and Marles said in a joint statement.
The PLA-N test-fired an SLBM from the South China Sea into the Pacific on July 6, carrying a dummy warhead.
Teodoro and Marles have called for advance notification of strategic missile launches that could affect other countries, and urged countries in the region to maintain safe and professional conduct and use transparency mechanisms such as the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCoC).
The 2022 international agreement was designed to prevent and curb the proliferation of ballistic missiles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Stronger defense cooperation
Amid concerns on the Chinese missile test, Manila and Canberra pushed to strengthen their defense partnership as Teodoro and Marles welcomed progress toward concluding the Philippines-Australia Defense Cooperation Arrangement (DCA) which will replace and modernize the two countries’ 1995 Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation.
Infrastructure development projects also advanced under Canberra's backing of Manila's Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), with both leaders affirming that the Philippines maintains full sovereignty over all sites.
“Both sides welcomed progress made on a first tranche of infrastructure projects which will increase our combined collective capability, enhance interoperability, and strengthen bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation,” the joint statement read.
More military exercises
Teodoro and Marles also welcomed the continued participation of their military forces in major bilateral and multilateral exercises such as Balikatan, Pitch Black, and Carabaroo in 2026 and Alon in 2027.
In fact, Teodoro visited a contingent from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) that was deployed to Darwin to participate in the three-week-long Pitch Black Exercise, which concluded on Friday.
Teodoro also expressed support for Australia’s MC-55A Peregrine, the Royal Australian Air Force's advanced airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Electronic Warfare (ISREW) platform as he welcomed growing cooperation with Canberra in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
Teodoro and Marles' meeting coincided with the 80th year of diplomatic relations between Manila and Canberra, with both sides underscoring the contribution of defense cooperation to their Strategic Partnership.
The two defense chiefs are scheduled to meet again in the Philippines in 2027 for the fourth Philippines-Australia Defense Ministers’ Meeting.

Related Tags

DND Australia Gilberto Teodoro Jr. Richard Marles China missile test South China Sea WPS
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