A Philippine military chief said he asked U.S. military officials to keep the missile system in the Philippines.

Two Philippine officials say that American and Filipino security officials have agreed to keep a U.S. mid-range missile system in the northern Philippines indefinitely to boost deterrance despite China’s expressions of alarm.

Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner on Wednesday backed the permanent stationing of a US missile system in his country, after China had warned deployment of the weapon was destabilising the region.