Prospect of war in region remote and not imminent, says Philippine defence secretary

MANILA (Reuters) -Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Wednesday that China's strategic plans for the region are independent of any American leadership and are driven by its own agenda. In an interview at the Reuters NEXT Asia summit in Singapore, Teodoro added the prospect of war is not imminent and remains remote. "We see that this design by China is predetermined by their own leader, irrespective of who an American leader is," Teodoro said, referring to what he described as Beijing's "expansionist activities."