MANILA, Philippines: A Philippine security official stated that acquiring F-16 fighter jets from the United States will not harm any other country, including China.

Jonathan Malaya, spokesperson for the National Security Council, assured China that the purchase is not meant as a threat. He explained that it is simply part of the Philippines' plan to upgrade its military.

"We want to assure China that adding F-16 jets to our military will not harm any other country," Malaya said in a briefing.

The U.S. government has recently approved the possible sale of 20 F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines for approximately $5.58 billion. The Pentagon stated that these planes would enable the Philippines to better patrol its territory and enhance cooperation with the U.S. military. However, Malaya noted that the Philippine government has not yet received official confirmation of the approval.

This announcement followed U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit to Manila last week. He reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to its defense treaty with the Philippines and pledged to provide advanced military support to help deter threats, including those posed by China.

China claims a large part of the South China Sea, overlapping with the waters of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In 2016, an international court ruled that China's claims were not valid under international law, but China does not accept this ruling.