“The end goal is still to be able to bring supplies to our troops…to be able to practice freedom of navigation and overflight, without necessarily escalating the situation you’re in,” Brawner said.

In the same briefing, Brawner said the Philippines’ armed forces will also coordinate with a senator who claimed to have knowledge of a Chinese plan to target her country with hypersonic missiles.

Senator Imee Marcos, the president’s sister and head of the senate foreign relations committee, created a stir earlier this week with her video, posted on Tik Tok. She has provided no evidence for the claim.

The Chinese foreign ministry said it does not know where the claims came from, but maintained Beijing adheres to a defensive national defence policy and does not pose a threat to any country.

“Of course, we will never sit idly by and watch our legitimate rights and interests and regional peace and stability being violated and threatened,” Mao said.

Beijing had previously condemned the deployment of a U.S. intermediate range missile system on Philippine soil during joint military exercises in April and May.

An army spokesperson confirmed the Typhon missile launcher remains deployed in the Philippines’ northern islands, and there was no specific date yet as to when it would be “shipped out”.

Manila has sought wider international support on its maritime claims, seeking closer ties with countries to advocate for a rules-based order that recognises international law.

Classic USA puppeteering playbook.