Manila: After Beijing's ambassador to Manila accused Manila of escalating regional tensions by granting the US access to more military bases, the Philippines has made it clear that it has no intention of meddling in China's affairs with Taiwan.

Manila recently granted US entry to four more strategic locations in the Philippines, three of which face Taiwan to the north and one of which is close to an island in the disputed South China Sea.

Washington now has access to a total of nine military facilities in the nation under its 2014 Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement.

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The development comes amid rising geopolitical tension over Taiwan's self-rule and worries about China's behaviour in the resource-rich waterway Beijing virtually controls.

Jonathan Malaya, assistant director-general at the NSC, spoke on behalf of the body in a statement released on Saturday. "The National Security Council wishes to clarify that the Philippines has no intention of interfering in the Taiwan issue and will not allow itself to be used by other countries to interfere in the said issue," he said.

It was "meant to develop the capabilities" of the Philippine military, Malaya said, for Manila and Washington to cooperate more on security.

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"We adhere to the ASEAN principle of non-interference in addressing regional issues," he continued. "We observe the One China policy."

More than 150,000 Filipinos live and work in Taiwan, so their safety and welfare are our top priority. We strongly object to any attempt by visitors to our country to use this against us by inciting fear and intimidation.

The declaration was made the day after Huang Xilian, the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines, claimed that Manila was escalating geopolitical tension in the Asia-Pacific region.

According to Huang, who spoke Friday at a forum in Manila, "it is clear that the US intends to use the new EDCA sites to interfere in the situation across the Taiwan Strait to further its geopolitical objectives."

If you genuinely care about the 150,000 OFWs [Overseas Filipino Workers], the Philippines is advised to vehemently oppose 'Taiwan independence' rather than fanning the flames by granting the US access to the military bases near the Taiwan Strait.

Requests for comment from the Philippines' foreign ministry were not immediately fulfilled.
 Filipinos were also outraged by Huang's remarks, and lawmakers rebuked the envoy on Sunday.

"Ambassador Huang Xilian's comments are truly despicable. Sen. Risa Hontiveros said in a statement, "How dare he threaten us.
 Our overseas workers in Taiwan will carry on doing their jobs. Story over. If we have our way, the Filipino people will prosper and earn a living.

Hontiveros continued, referring to the Philippine portion of the South China Sea, "He, along with his country's ships and artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea, should pack up and depart."

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One of the Philippines' most well-known progressive political parties, Akbayan, has urged the administration to expel the Chinese diplomat. The party said in a statement, "How dare [Huang] trade the lives of our people to advance Beijing's hegemonic agenda in the region. He has no right to threaten our people while he is being hosted by our nation.