The Philippines has taken a deliberately vague tack about deploying powerful U.S. weapons on its territory that could put nearby Chinese forces at risk — but Manila is clear about one thing: It has already secured the funds to buy its own midrange missiles.
Asked whether Manila is planning to keep or purchase some of the advanced U.S. weapon systems deployed for this year’s Balikatan military exercises, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told The Japan Times that the country would maintain a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on the matter.
Strategic ambiguity, which is employed by both the U.S. in its policy toward Taiwan and France in its nuclear weapons strategy, is the practice of being intentionally unclear about a policy, strategy or position, creating uncertainty to either gain an advantage or deter potential adversaries without making explicit commitments.
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