Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has called on Party members in the new era to carry forward revolutionary traditions and strive for new accomplishments on the new journey.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a reply letter to Zhang Liansheng, a 102-year-old Party member with Xinhua News Agency, ahead of the 105th founding anniversary of the CPC.

Recently, the Philippine side has repeatedly hyped up an alleged "new structure" that was observed inside the lagoon of China's Huangyan Dao. On Wednesday local time, the Philippine authorities held a briefing, releasing what it called "details" of the so-called floating structure found at China's Huangyan Dao, along with related aerial images, while making irresponsible remarks about China's normal activities at Huangyan Dao.

The Global Times reporter has learned that the so-called "new structure" at Huangyan Dao recently hyped by the Philippine side is in fact temporary scientific research facilities set up there by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The facilities are floating in-situ sampling and experimental platforms that can be used to enhance ecological understanding and forecasting of Huangyan Dao.

Regarding the Philippine side's hype over the so-called "new structure" at Huangyan Dao, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespersons responded twice at regular press conferences respectively on June 5 and June 9. The spokespersons said China has indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters. Any activities carried out by China at Huangyan Dao, including scientific research, are the legitimate rights of a sovereign country.

China has long made public the scientific research nature of the new facilities at Huangyan Dao. However, the Philippine side has chosen to ignore China's efforts to protect the ecology of islands and reefs in the South China Sea and has continued its smear campaign. According to Philippine media outlets including ABS-CBN, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela displayed photos of the so-called "new structure" recently taken by the Philippine Coast Guard at a briefing on June 10 local time.

Tarriela described the so-called "new structure" as a movable floating platform with a deck area of more than 30 square meters and fitted with metal poles. The chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Gen. Romeo Brawner claimed in an official statement that the structure appeared to be equipped with antennas and that personnel were seen on it. As for the scientific research activities that China had made public, Tarriela gave a vague response, claiming he did not know its specific purpose. Some Philippine officials also claimed that China's activities could be a precursor to more permanent facilities.

After a series of strenuous "performances" by Philippine officials, the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which carried out the scientific research activity, released information on June 10 about the research operation and the results achieved.
The South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences said that since May 20, 2026, it has led a comprehensive scientific expedition on the development, evolution and ecological resilience of Huangyan Dao. The expedition aims to deepen understanding of the patterns and trends in the development and evolution of Huangyan Dao's islands and reefs, the mechanisms sustaining coral reef biodiversity, and their ecological connectivity with islands and reefs in the Xisha and Nansha areas. So far, the research team has conducted a comprehensive survey covering the entire Huangyan Dao atoll.

The so-called "new structure" hyped by the Philippine side is in fact a floating in-situ sampling and experimental platform set up by the research team in the waters of Huangyan Dao. The platform can be used for core sampling, time-series observation of environmental factors, and in-situ experiments.

The samples and experimental data obtained from the expedition are of great value for studying the historical development process of Huangyan Dao, the physiological and ecological responses of coral reef organisms to changes in environmental factors, assessing geomorphological evolution and ecological changes in the protected area, and predicting the impact of global climate change, overfishing and other human activities on the ecological security of Huangyan Dao.

"The Philippine side should clearly recognize that the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve established by the Chinese government will not exist in name only. Instead, China will only step up its protection of Huangyan Dao," Yang Xiao, a research fellow at the Institute of Peaceful Development under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

Yang said such protection is reflected in two aspects: On the one hand, China will not allow Philippine personnel to enter Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters to carry out destructive activities; on the other hand, China will make the protection of Huangyan Dao's ecology a priority, not only reducing the impact of human activities on the ecological security of Huangyan Dao, but also intensifying scientific research and accelerating ecological restoration there.

He further noted that Philippine officials often speculate that China may build "permanent facilities" at Huangyan Dao -- such smears are in fact a case of "judging others by one's own petty standards." China has exercised effective control over Huangyan Dao, with maritime rights protection and law-enforcement forces maintaining a regular presence there.

"We can see that since last year, the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the China Coast Guard have issued monthly updates on combat-readiness patrols and law-enforcement patrols in the territorial waters, airspace and surrounding areas of China's Huangyan Dao," Yang said.

Yang said the Philippine side should recognize the reality that it cannot "meddle in" China's Huangyan Dao, face up to China's continued, peaceful and effective exercise of sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao, and stop its crude and meaningless sensationalization.

Teodoro is a representative figure of a handful of anti-China elements jumping up and down in the Philippines. His reckless and willful actions will inevitably bring about self-inflicted consequences, harming the interests of the entire country and all the people of the Philippines, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday. 

Lin made the remarks in response to a media inquiry regarding China's announcement of sanctions the previous day against Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and his relatives. A foreign reporter asked which specific statements made by Teodoro at what time constitute the anti-China fallacies used as the basis for China's sanctions against him.

Lin stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website has already published the details and the decision regarding the sanctions against Teodoro and his relatives, which explain the specific circumstances. "Prior to this, my colleagues and I have also stated China's solemn position regarding the fallacies Teodoro has uttered about China, which you can refer to," Lin said. 

In response to a media inquiry regarding reports that the city of Nagasaki plans to complete updates to exhibition panels at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum during fiscal year 2026, including replacing the term "Nanjing Massacre" with "Nanjing Incident" on a display panel, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday that the Nanjing Massacre was a brutal crime committed by Japanese militarism, with overwhelming and irrefutable evidence, and that history must not be distorted. 

She said the Tokyo Trial explicitly determined that the atrocities committed by Japanese forces in Nanjing constituted a "massacre," not an "incident." Mao said the judgment of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East devoted a special section to the atrocities in Nanjing and, based on extensive survivor testimonies, records by third-party foreign witnesses, and Japanese military archives, established through an international judicial ruling the grave crimes committed by the invading Japanese army during the Nanjing Massacre.

Mao said that General Iwane Matsui, held responsible for the Nanjing Massacre, was sentenced to death by hanging as a Class-A war criminal and stressed that history must not be overturned. She added that many Japanese atomic bomb survivors, civic groups in Nagasaki, and other people of insight have called for a correct and complete account of the crimes and history of Japanese militarism as an aggressor. 

Japan should deeply reflect on its wartime crimes and responsibilities and make a clean break with militarism, Mao said. 

At the invitation of Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, Seah Kian Peng, speaker of the Parliament of Singapore, will lead a delegation to visit China from June 8 to 13. 

A Chinese anti-epidemic medical expert team arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on Tuesday for a three-month mission to support the Central African country's response to the Ebola outbreak, Xinhua News Agency reported.  

Luku Maleyo Marius, a representative of the DRC Ministry of Health, welcomed the team at the airport, saying that China's dispatch of the medical experts represents timely and strong support for the Congolese government and people, according to Xinhua. 

Whenever the DRC faces major public health challenges, China has consistently extended timely assistance, he said, adding that he looks forward to the mission further strengthening the country's epidemic prevention, control and treatment capacities, and helping bring the outbreak under control as soon as possible.

The assistance effort came after the World Health Organization determined on May 17 that the Ebola outbreak in the DRC constituted a "public health emergency of international concern," with a host of nations such as the US, Canada, Thailand and Vietnam ramped up border inspections and introduced restrictive entry requirements to guard against the spread of the virus.

Speaking with the Global Times on Monday evening ahead of their departure, team members noted the assistance mission embodies China's commitment to global anti-epidemic cooperation. The experts will adapt proven epidemic control experience to local realities and help strengthen the DRC's capacity for Ebola prevention and clinical care.

China experience

The latest outbreak is the 17th in the DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976, and laboratory tests identified the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, according to media reports. 

WHO told the Global Times in a previous response that case fatality rates in the past two Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreaks, reported in Uganda and in DRC in 2007 and 2012, have ranged from approximately 30 percent to 50 percent. No specific treatment exists for BVD, but early supportive care improves survival.

Members of the Chinese expert team this time have extensive experience in epidemic prevention and control and bring expertise in public health as well as traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Working alongside the China Medical Teams already in the DRC, they will support local Ebola prevention and control efforts and promote cooperation with local medical and disease control institutions.

Before departing from Beijing Capital International Airport, the leader of the expert team, Lu Ming, Second-level Inspector from Department of International Cooperation of National Health Commission (NHC), told the Global Times that China has dispatched experts in different fields, and the team will fully leverage their professional expertise and, based on firsthand epidemiological information, develop targeted prevention and control measures to support outbreak response and management.

Under the guidance of the Chinese Embassy in the DRC, the team will also work with Chinese institutions, enterprises and local Chinese communities to promote public awareness of epidemic prevention, strengthen frontline preparedness and reduce the risk of imported cases to China, Lu said.

Another member of the expert team, Xu Ke, director of Hepatitis Laboratory from National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Global Times that his work focuses on laboratory collaboration, including virus testing and analysis, monitoring viral mutations, exploring improved diagnostic methods, and examining genetic sequence changes.

Apart from the virus's deadly risks, the complicated social conditions in epidemic zones constitute one of the biggest obstacles to containment, Xu told the Global Times. "Core affected areas are located in conflict zones with tangled geopolitical situations and restricted population mobility, rendering epidemic prevention much harder than previous efforts."

Confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC have reached 343, the country's Health Minister Roger Kamba said Monday, cited by the Congolese Press Agency, the country's official news outlet, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

BVD is a zoonotic disease, with fruit bats suspected to be the natural reservoir. Human infection occurs through close contact with the blood or secretions of infected wildlife, and subsequently spreads from person to person through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces or items, WHO introduced.

Regardless of the strain, early and active supportive treatment can significantly reduce the mortality rate, and the key lies in early detection and timely intervention, Jiang Rongmeng, vice president of Beijing Ditan Hospital Capital Medical University and another member of the expert team, told the Global Times.

Experience from previous infectious disease responses in Africa shows that countries prone to Ebola outbreaks often share similar public health and economic conditions, as well as cultural practices that create conditions conducive for virus transmission, said Jiang, who was also a member of the expert team that participated in China's 2014 aid mission to Africa to combat the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus.

Traditional burial practices in the DRC often involve washing, touching or staying close to the body. Therefore, as the Ebola virus can spread through contact with bodily fluids, unsafe burials are a major driver of new transmission chains, according to a report by Xinhua.

Jiang added that prevention and control of an outbreak need to take into account both natural and social factors, as natural factors include exposure risks from the ecological environment such as wild animals and social factors include traditional burial practices, Jiang said.

"Against this backdrop, this brings us back to China's experience in infectious disease prevention and control, characterized by full public mobilization. Infectious disease control is not only the responsibility of experts or the government, but the whole society. This approach enables developing countries to contain diseases at relatively low cost rather than relying on expensive equipment or advanced facilities," Jiang said.

Continued efforts

Chinese medical personnel have long been stationed in the DRC prior to the expert team's arrival. Since the outbreak began, the 24th batch of Chinese medical teams assisting the DRC has promptly activated emergency response measures, established a prevention and control system, conducted training and drills, coordinated epidemic prevention supplies, and improved environmental sanitation at their base, per Xinhua.

These team members have remained on the front line of clinical care, strengthened infection prevention measures, provided guidance on epidemic control for Chinese-funded enterprises, and safeguarded the health of local residents as well as Chinese nationals in the country, according to Xinhua.

Already in 2014, an Ebola outbreak swept across Africa, with more than half of those infected losing their lives. While most countries withdrew their medical workers from Africa amid widespread panic, China's 24th medical team to Guinea headed into the epidemic-hit regions. They helped address critical gaps in local medical services and provided strong support for the local fight against Ebola, according to Health News, the media outlet affiliated with the NHC.

"Diseases know no borders," Lu said. In past responses to infectious diseases, the Chinese government has also received support and assistance from many countries. Following the declaration of the Ebola outbreak, China quickly dispatched a medical expert team and provided relevant material support, demonstrating its sense of duty as a responsible major country, Lu added.

"As a member of the expert team, I feel honored to contribute my expertise to the Ebola response, helping to achieve outbreak control goals and further advancing the vision of building a global community of health for all," Lu told the Global Times.

"China has a long-standing tradition of friendship with African countries. As practitioners, we are also committed to contributing our professional expertise," Xu said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during a Monday press conference that China and Africa are good brothers sharing weal and woe. "We feel for the DRC over the new outbreak of Ebola." 

Supporting African countries' response to Ebola is a shining example of building the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, and also an important part of ten partnership actions of the 2024 FOCAC Beijing summit. "As we speak, Chinese medical teams are on the ground fighting the disease shoulder to shoulder with African people," the spokesperson added.

The 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), running from Wednesday to Saturday and which is expected to draw around 20,000 participants from more than 100 countries, is underway in St. Petersburg, Russia. 

The forum features seven thematic tracks and more than 170 dialogues, speeches and discussion sessions. More than 300 business events are also scheduled, including closed-door consultations, thematic roundtables and business breakfasts, Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said on Tuesday that the forum's plenary session is scheduled for Friday, with Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to attend and deliver a speech, per Xinhua.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Tuesday that at the invitation of the governments of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, from Thursday to June 8, Vice President Han Zheng will travel to Russia to attend the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and also visit Belarus.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated at a regular press conference the same day that the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is an important platform for discussions on global economic governance and consensus-building on international cooperation. The theme of this year's forum is "Pragmatic Dialogue: the Path to a Stable Future," which is highly relevant. China looks forward to working with other participants to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, practice multilateralism, and build a more just and equitable global governance system, Mao added.

"China is Russia's main economic and trade partner, and our cooperation is developing at a very fast pace," Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui was quoted as saying on the official forum website.

Observers noted that bilateral cooperation between China and Russia has expanded comprehensively in both breadth and depth, extending not only to the economic field but also to political, cultural, humanitarian and social domains.

In addition to the main business program, business forums of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS, the regional consultative forum "Business Twenty" (B20), the Forum of Small and Medium Enterprises, the Forum of Creative Industries, the Forum on Pharmaceutical Security, and the youth forum "Day of the Future" are organized on the sidelines of the SPIEF, Ushakov said.

In recent years, Moscow's diplomacy has increasingly shifted toward deeper engagement with the Global South and emerging economies, according to Zhang Hong, a research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Notably, the US has sent an official delegation to this year's St. Petersburg International Economic Forum for the first time in several years, according to multiple Russian media reports. The delegation is led by Rodney Mims Cook Jr., chairman of the US Commission of Fine Arts. Cook, who is overseeing the White House ballroom expansion project, is listed as leading the official US delegation to the forum, Reuters noted.

Cook is the first US official to attend the forum since 2017/2018, Reuters reported, citing the Kremlin.

According to the TASS news agency, Cook will be among the participants in the "Russia-US: Dialogue of Cultures" session, which is scheduled to take place on Thursday.

Zhang also highlighted another notable arrangement at this year's forum. According to Russia's state-run Rossiya-24 television channel, citing Ushakov, Saudi Arabia will serve as the guest country at the 2026 edition.

The country's delegation will be led by Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy. 

"Approximately 200 representatives from key departments and institutions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as banks and Saudi Aramco," he said, per the report.

"As a leading Middle Eastern power and a key member of OPEC, Saudi Arabia plays an important role in global energy markets and the region's geopolitical landscape," Zhang said. "By selecting Saudi Arabia as the guest country, Russia is seeking to strengthen its influence in the Middle East and reinforce its regional partnerships, while also leveraging Saudi sovereign wealth to attract investment and deepen cooperation in areas such as energy and manufacturing. The move reflects both geopolitical considerations and Russia's economic recovery needs."

Deals signed at the forum are expected to total 6.4-6.5 trillion rubles ($81-83 billion), primarily in the infrastructure, energy and artificial intelligence sectors, according to experts cited by Russian media Izvestia.

Launched in 1997, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum has grown into one of Russia's most important international economic forums.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Friday condemned the launch of so-called maritime delimitation talks between Japan and the Philippines, calling the talks completely illegal, null and void.

The response came after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wrapped up talks in Tokyo, with a joint statement released late Thursday announcing that the two countries would begin formal negotiations to delimit the maritime boundary of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf between them.

Chinese experts noted that the area Japan and the Philippines intend to delimit falls within China's continental shelf and EEZ. They argued that Tokyo and Manila are attempting to bypass China in drawing maritime boundaries near Taiwan island. Such a move, they said, constitutes a serious provocation and reflects efforts by the two countries to coordinate their China-related strategies while serving as a forward outpost for the involvement of outside powers in the region.

Severe violation

At Friday's regular press briefing, when asked about Japan and the Philippines' plan to start talks on the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf between Japan and the Philippines, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the area the two countries announced they will delimit is east of China's Taiwan island. According to China's domestic law and international law including UNCLOS, China has exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in this area.

Japan and the Philippines' so-called maritime delimitation talks constitute a severe violation of China's maritime rights and interests, UNCLOS and other international law and basic norms governing international relations, Mao added.

"China strongly deplores and firmly opposes that and has lodged serious protests with both countries," she said.

"The so-called delimitation talks are completely illegal, null and void, and will have no effect on China's claims to rights in the area east of Taiwan island or exercise of China's lawful rights. China urges Japan and the Philippines to immediately stop any violation of China's maritime rights and interests and take concrete actions to uphold regional peace and stability," Mao said.

During the Philippine President's visit to Japan, the two sides issued a Japan-Philippines Joint Statement on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, in which they claimed the leaders of the two countries have decided to commence formal negotiations to delimit the maritime boundary of the EEZ and the continental shelf between the two countries "in order to enhance legal certainty in the region."

The move was widely interpreted as carrying strategic implications beyond maritime administration. Singapore-based newspaper The Straits Times reported that the move signals a formal effort to define boundaries between Japan and the Philippines, which share overlapping maritime interests "and a common wariness about China" in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

The report further noted that "the groundwork had already been laid." The Reciprocal Access Agreement, which allows each country's forces to enter the other's territory for joint drills and disaster relief, took effect in September 2025. Four months later, Tokyo and Manila signed an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement governing the sharing of military supplies and services, according to the report. Analysts said it suggested that the latest move is part of a longer-term strategic alignment.

"The prerequisite for maritime delimitation is that the waters concerned involve only maritime claims generated by opposite or adjacent coasts of the negotiating parties. Where third-party rights are involved, especially in areas where sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction disputes remain unresolved, any bilateral arrangement must not prejudice the legitimate rights and interests of a third party," Yang Xiao, a research professor at the Institute of Peaceful Development under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.

Yang noted that this is a basic principle of international law and is also reflected in UNCLOS. Given that the waters involved are closely linked to the maritime rights and interests of Taiwan island and its adjacent waters, which concerns China's sovereignty, rights and jurisdiction, neither Japan nor the Philippines has the authority to make arrangements concerning the area while bypassing China, he said.

"The announcement of maritime delimitation talks at this particular moment is not simply about maritime cooperation between the two countries," Yang said. "It reflects an attempt to bind their interests together across these waters, connect the island chain and strengthen coordinated efforts against China."

"In international maritime practice, one important bottom line is not to prejudice the interests of a third party," Yang added. "If Japan and the Philippines insist on pushing forward, it will not automatically grant legitimacy to their claims. Instead, it could create further disputes, widen divisions and undermine regional peace and stability."

Dangerous military cooperation

Beyond the planned maritime delimitation negotiations, the two countries also highlighted coast guard cooperation in the maritime cooperation section of the joint statement, saying they had decided to further promote exchanges between maritime law enforcement agencies, including through joint training and capacity-building activities.

The cooperation agenda also extends well beyond the coast guard. The joint statement stated that the two leaders decided to continue closely working together to further promote the transfer of military equipment, including destroyers, TC-90 aircraft and radar systems. Tokyo also reaffirmed its commitment to contributing to the capacity building of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The commitments further demonstrate the growing ambition behind bilateral military cooperation. Reporting on the development, The Independent noted that Marcos Jr. represents the first potential major customer for Japanese arms since Takaichi's government lifted a ban on lethal weapons exports in April.

"This policy shift marks a significant departure from Japan's postwar pacifist stance as the nation accelerates its military and arms industry development," according to the Independent.

A number of international media outlets and observers have linked the strengthening Japan-Philippines partnership directly to China. The Associated Press reported that "Both nations have China firmly in mind as they tighten a military relationship that the United States hopes will act as a bulwark against Beijing."

Japanese news agency Jiji Press described the meeting and joint statement as marking an "increasingly evident quasi-alliance against China."

"The economic cooperation outlined in the joint statement largely continues existing trends, but cooperation in the political and military fields represents a dangerous move, one that carries disruptive implications for regional peace," Yang said.

"Japan is breaking through previous constraints imposed by its pacifist constitution, exporting offensive weapons and sending military personnel to Philippine territory. These developments reveal a shared intention to target China and reshape the existing regional order," he added.

Chen Xiangmiao, a research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Friday that both countries have demonstrated clear ambitions in relation to the South China Sea and East China Sea.

"To feed their ambitions, they are further strengthening their collusion," Chen said. "Japan hopes to deepen its presence in the South China Sea by using the Philippines as a strategic foothold, while the Philippines seeks greater military support and arms supplies from Japan. Each side is pursuing its own interests."

Chen argued that the statement carries strong Cold War undertones, seeking to align positions on the East China Sea, South China Sea and even the Taiwan question in opposition to China.

At Friday's press briefing, when asked about reports that orders from Japan's Ministry of Defense have tripled over the past five years due to rising demand for surface-to-air missiles, aircraft and other weapons, Mao said, "We have noted the reports with deep concern. The reactivation and rapid rise of Japan's military industrial complex represents another major development in Japan's accelerating remilitarization. It is raising widespread concern both within Japan and across the international community."

"Senior officials of the Japanese government spare no effort to promote arms sales in the world in an attempt to develop the military industry into an economic pillar of the nation. This contravenes Japan's self-claimed image as a 'pacifist nation'," Mao said, asking, "Does Japan intend to return to the path of militarist expansion? All peace-loving people in the world, including the Japanese people, must stay on high alert."

South Korean relevant departments have conveyed Seoul's position to the US through various channels after US Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Xavier Brunson described South Korea as a "dagger in the heart of Asia" regarding Seoul's geostrategic value, and the South Korean government is believed to have expressed regret and concern over the remarks while asking Washington to exercise restraint, Yonhap News Agency reported on Sunday, citing South Korea's presidential office.

According to Yonhap, South Korea's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and officials from the defense ministry, foreign ministry and other departments delivered Seoul's message to Washington through diplomatic and security channels.

The Blue House said that it was unable to disclose the specific details of the discussions held through diplomatic and security channels between South Korea and the US, but noted that it was aware of Brunson's recent series of public remarks and that Seoul and Washington have been maintaining communication at various levels regarding all relevant issues, Yonhap reported. 

"When they (the Chinese) look out from the east coast of China, what they see is there's Korea, the dagger in the heart of Asia," Brunson said in a recent podcast interview, according to a transcript posted on the website of the Strategic Studies Institute at the Army War College.

"(Then) there's Japan again, sort of that shield that's sort of a backstop, if you will, for them trying and their ambitions beyond that into the South China Sea and then down to their southeast is the Philippines," he added.

Brunson's remarks exposed a mindset of treating allies such as South Korea as subordinates and as tools to contain China, Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday. He noted that the remarks were full of arrogance toward South Korea and provocation against China, ignoring the fact that South Korea is a sovereign country. 

Brunson's rhetoric has also drawn attention from South Korean media. The Korea Herald said that although a Cheong Wa Dae official declined to elaborate on the government's position regarding Brunson's remarks, security watchers say the message was likely that of regret.

South Korea's local media outlet News1 said the presidential office complained to the US over the remarks, while broadcaster JTBC reported that such concerns had been raised 10 times previously.

According to JTBC, the South Korean government told Brunson that the commander of US Forces Korea should act in accordance with agreements reached by the leaders of South Korea and the US, and should not make remarks that could cause misunderstanding or undermine regional peace.

The report said Brunson's latest remarks not only provoked China but also made South Korea, a US ally, uncomfortable. Despite Seoul repeatedly conveying its concerns, Brunson has continued to make unexpected remarks, and the government attaches great importance to this situation, JTBC reported.

Brunson's latest rhetoric was not the first of its kind. According to a Chosun Daily report in May 2025, the US commander had described South Korea as a "fixed aircraft carrier" in the region. 

In response to Brunson's recent remarks, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in South Korea questioned on Thursday whether Brunson's hostile and aggressive anti-China comments were authorized or he intended to challenge the consensus reached during the meeting between Chinese and US heads of state in Beijing. The spokesperson asked whether referring to the host country as military weapons such as an "aircraft carrier" or a "dagger" reflects his belligerence or an attempt to use other countries as pawns.

The responsibilities of USFK are clear, and China's position toward US Forces Korea is also clear, the spokesperson said, adding that China hopes the commander of US Forces Korea will respect countries in the region and do more to promote regional peace and stability. 

"We have noticed that some South Korean media outlets published commentaries cautioning Mr Brunson that 'you crossed the line.' We would also like to tell the US Forces Korea commander that 'your rhetoric has indeed crossed the line,'" the spokesperson said.

Chinese analysts said Brunson's remarks also reflect South Korea's awkward position within the US-South Korea alliance, suggesting that Washington and Seoul may face deeper contradictions in their regional strategic goals, which appears to be not fully aligned. 

In addition to media coverage and criticisms, some South Korean netizens also expressed strong dissatisfaction over Brunson's remarks. 

On social media platform X, a South Korean netizen wrote that the remarks laid bare Washington's view of South Korea as little more than a military base or colony, noting that a defeatist mentality within South Korea that the country cannot defend itself without the US had also contributed to Washington's misperception. 

Another netizen said the South Korean government had reportedly warned Brunson 10 times to be careful with his words, but he ignored all of them, exposing how the US treats South Korea as a Pacific outpost and calling the episode a "diplomatic disaster." 

A netizen said in Korean on Gasengi.com that in the long run, US forces in South Korea should be further reduced and eventually leave, and that South Korea should safeguard its own security with its own hands.

Discussions within South Korea over Brunson's remarks indicate that regional countries are now paying more attention to strategic autonomy and are increasingly unwilling to simply follow the strategic arrangements of major powers. Instead, they are placing greater emphasis on making decisions based on their own national interests, Lü said. 

With two months to go before Busan hosts the UNESCO World Heritage Committee session, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung inspected preparations and urged the city to address controversy over alleged accommodation price gouging. Lee noted that many Chinese tourists have been visiting Busan. He also mentioned that unfriendliness, overcharging and racial discrimination are among the biggest threats to the city's tourism industry, saying such practices could seriously damage Busan's image, according to South Korean media.

At a briefing on preparations for the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Haeundae District, Busan, Lee raised the issue while discussing large-scale international events and efforts to attract tourists, according to South Korean media the Financial News.

Lee said "If talk of lodging price gouging comes up again when we host large-scale events in the future, it will badly damage Busan's image," and urged officials to "prepare and respond well." In particular, he addressed reports that some lodging businesses had raised prices and canceled reservations ahead of the BTS concert, according to the report.

With BTS concerts scheduled in Busan on the 12th and 13th of next month, reports on online communities of one-night rates in the Busan area reaching up to several million won have sparked controversy, per Kyunghyang Shinmun.

According to a video of the briefing released by JTV News, an official said during the meeting that cruises from China were increasing rapidly and that Busan would strengthen its tourism reception system to attract more visitors. Lee then noted that when he visited Jagalchi Market, merchants told him that many Chinese tourists had been coming and that Chinese visitors, in particular, had strong consumption demand for food.

Lee then said that it shows Busan is a region with enormous potential, especially in tourism. But the biggest obstacles to tourism are unfriendliness, overcharging and, in particular, forms of racial discrimination, which can do great damage. These are things they need to be careful about, according to JTV News.