MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine military will stick to a "no confrontation" policy even as it gets more weapons and looks forward to a larger U.S. military presence in the country as territorial disputes intensify in the South China Sea, the armed forces' chief said Wednesday.
Military chief of staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista told foreign correspondents that the Philippines was building a "minimum credible defense" to protect its territory and "to at least deter or make any aggressor hesitate or think twice before any hostile action."
Bautista did not name China as the concern, but the Philippines has repeatedly protested what it calls Chinese intrusions in its territorial waters in recent years, including last year's seizure of a disputed fishing shoal.
China has rejected those accusations and has laid claim to virtually the entire South China Sea.