MANILA — Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan criticized China’s recent military drills encircling Taiwan, warning that such actions threaten regional peace and affect not only Taiwan but also Filipinos and other peoples in East and Southeast Asia.

In a statement published Jan. 1, Pangilinan said China’s two-day military exercises have brought “ill will all around,” particularly during the holiday season.

“It is the season of goodwill, but China’s two-day military drills encircling Taiwan have brought ill will all around—to the Taiwan people, to Filipinos working, living, and spending the holidays there, and to peoples across East and Southeast Asia,” Pangilinan said.

He stressed that peace cannot be achieved through threats, military expansion, or war games.

“Peace on earth cannot be built on threats of invasion, expanding foreign basing, or war games. Peace on earth can only be built on our individual and collective right to self-determination, free from bullying or annexation by any power—whether Chinese or American,” he said.

Pangilinan added that global progress should be anchored on cooperation rather than military force.

“We all share this one planet, and our shared future depends not on missiles nor alliances of convenience, but on our individual and collective cooperation for social justice, climate action, and democratic rights. Let’s all steer the Fire Horse of 2026 into progress, not ruin,” he said.

Earlier, the Department of National Defense (DND) expressed concern over a series of Chinese military and coast guard activities around Taiwan, warning that these undermine regional peace and stability.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the activities are “creating cracks in an already fragile geopolitical environment,” noting that the launching of missiles and fighter aircraft and the maneuvering of naval vessels in Taiwanese territory have implications beyond cross-Strait relations.

“This heightened scale of coercion has implications that extend beyond cross-Strait relations and into the broader Indo-Pacific community,” Teodoro said.

He stressed that basic principles of self-restraint and international law must be observed, reiterating the Philippines’ support for a free, open, stable, and rules-based Indo-Pacific where disputes are resolved through peaceful means without coercion or intimidation.