Chinese state media analyzes US moves: ”South Korea has less strategic value than the Philippines”

Regarding U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's decision to choose the Philippines instead of South Korea for his overseas tour, Chinese state media said, "The U.S.
"This shows an intention to check China."
The U.S. Secretary of Defense has typically visited South Korea as one of his first overseas stops.
The media went on to say, "Due to political uncertainty in South Korea, South Korea's strategic value in the eyes of the United States has fallen below that of the Philippines."
In response to the US Department of Defense's announcement that "Secretary Hegseth will make his first official visit to the Indo-Pacific region, including the Philippines and Japan, via Hawaii and Guam," China's official English-language newspaper
The Global Times reported on the 22nd that "In particular, the addition of the Philippines to the list of South Koreas has been omitted," and that "experts have said, 'This schedule shows the US's intention to target China, and the Philippines is becoming more provocative.'
"It is likely that the US will encourage China to take appropriate measures," the Global Times reported. "In 2021, under the Joe Biden administration, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made his first visit to China.
"He chose Japan, South Korea, and India as his destinations for visits, and during the first term of the Donald Trump administration (2017), Secretary of Defense James Mattis visited Japan and South Korea."