Geline Salac

China says has 'no interest' in interfering in Philippine elections

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<p>A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry denied Thursday that Beijing is interested in interfering in the Philippines’ midterm elections next month. </p><p>“China follows the principle of non-interference in other countries’ domestic affairs. We have no interest in interfering in Philippine elections,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/24/wrap-what-do-they-mean-when-they-talk-about-pro-china-candidates-1330">WRAP: What do they mean when they talk about ‘Pro-China’ candidates?</a></div><p>National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya earlier warned there are indications that information operations are being conducted “that are Chinese state sponsored in the Philippines and are actually interfering in the forthcoming elections.”</p><p>He noted certain narratives from Beijing were being amplified by third party individuals or local proxies in the Philippines.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/24/nsc-flags-possible-chinese-interference-in-philippine-elections-1048">NSC flags possible Chinese interference in Philippine elections</a></div><p>The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, meanwhile, said it has uncovered 234 data breaches in “high-level” government agencies in 2025. </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tPX7QBZJY1Q?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Military historian Jose Antonio Custodio said the data breaches are alarming because it shows the vulnerability of the Philippines in cyber warfare. </p><p>Custodio noted China&#x27;s cyber warfare tactics have evolved from conducting cyber attacks and gain intelligence to &quot;gaining access to disrupt operations of adversaries, whether civilian or military spheres&quot;, which could be used to cripple a target country. </p><p>One scenario, he said, is possible data breaches of the Social Security System or Government Service Insurance System, which could be used for identity theft on a massive scale. &quot;Makikita mo nagkaroon ka ng utang na hindi mo naman ginawa,&quot; he said. </p><p>Complacency, he said, remains the biggest challenge, citing as an example US defense chief Pete Hegseth&#x27;s use of messaging platform Signal to discuss strikes on Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/20/us-defense-chief-shared-sensitive-information-in-second-signal-chat-report-0657">US defense chief shared sensitive information in second Signal chat: report</a></div><p>Custodio praised NICA for revealing the problem, saying China and Russia sometimes partner with transnational criminal organizations to carry out the attacks. </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BH6jTRuTPrE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry denied Thursday that Beijing is interested in interfering in the Philippines’ midterm elections next month.</p>

A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry denied Thursday that Beijing is interested in interfering in the Philippines’ midterm elections next month.