By Christina Mendez
BEIJING – A state-owned Chinese firm that was sanctioned by the United States for allegedly supplying weapons of mass destruction to Iran has expressed its intention to supply military hardware to the Philippines to boost the country’s defense capability.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced yesterday that state-owned conglomerate China Poly Group Corp. has expressed intent to supply arms and other equipment to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The offer casts a shadow of concern raised by China’s militarization in the South China Sea, which also comes on the heels of President Duterte’s pivot to China.
Duterte received officials of the China Poly Group Corp. and Poly Technologies Inc. who paid a courtesy call on him at the Grand Hyatt Hotel here last Sunday.
“It’s not yet a document. It’s a letter of intent to deal with them because they’re offering us a lot, a wide array of defense equipment,” said Lorenzana, who was present during the Poly Technologies’ call.
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