TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Philippines has not seen any evidence that China is planning to attack Taiwan, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Thursday (Oct. 19).
At a news conference, Lieutenant General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the military would remain alert to any eventuality, per CNA. He said he was aware that observers had expressed the fear that countries in the Asia Pacific might use the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts as cover to launch their own military operations.
However, Brawner said he had seen no signs of such an event being imminent in the region, including Taiwan. He emphasized his country’s armed forces’ participation in bilateral and multilateral military exercises with friendly countries.
However, he ruled out military engagements with Taiwan both at present and in the future, Reuters reported. The armed forces chief said he was touring military bases across the country and inspecting the readiness of troops in case of an emergency.