Philippines warns of new ‘iron curtain’; any conflict at South China Sea could be devastating for Asean region

Carlito Galvez Jr, senior undersecretary at the Department of National Defence in the Philippines.

SINGAPORE/MANILA, June 3 (Bloomberg): A senior defence official of the Philippines expressed concern that growing distrust would lead to the return of the "Iron Curtain.”

"Decoupling amid the declining state of goodwill in the region would only serve to bring about the return of the Iron Curtain that will undermine any potential or confidence building and cooperation between and among us,” said Carlito Galvez Jr, senior undersecretary at the Department of National Defence in the Philippines.