War of words between China and Philippines over South China Sea claims
Teodoro said the note showed Beijing’s rejection of the 2016 ruling and called China’s conduct coercion, bullying and aggression.
- On Monday, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro warned that China could exploit recent cuts to U.S.-South Korean military exercises as an opportunity to reassert influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
- President Donald Trump ordered a "substantial reduction" in annual joint war games last month, prompting shortened drills that security analysts argue may undermine U.S. deterrence credibility in Asia.
- Teodoro noted that Washington provided "definite assurances" that U.S. commitments to the Philippines remain unchanged, with "no indication" the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty would be affected by South Korea changes.
- Manila is broadening security ties with Canada, New Zealand, France, and Britain, while Teodoro accused China of exploiting democratic systems to "expand its distortive narratives" alongside military pressure.
- Although seeking emerging defense technologies from South Korea, the Philippines' long-discussed submarine acquisition program remains "still under review" and is "some way off," according to Teodoro.
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At an international summit in Seoul on Tuesday, September 8, the Philippine Defense Minister replied with virulence and irony to elements of Chinese language on the South China Sea, partly claimed by Beijing, which had just been handed over to him.
Philippine Defense Chief Tells Beijing to ‘Have Some Decency, Have Some Shame’
Philippines' Secretary of Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. delivers a speech during the fifth plenary session at the Shangri-La Dialogue Summit in Singapore on June 1, 2025. (Mohd Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images)
'Have a little shame': Philippines defence chief gets China's note mid-speech, fires salvo over South China Sea claims
The already strained China-Philippines diplomatic relations escalated further when the two countries got engaged in a public war of words over Beijing's increasingly aggressive pursuit of maritime claims in the South China Sea.
Philippine Defense Chief Rebukes China After Note Interrupts Seoul Security Forum
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro sharply rebuked China during an international security forum in Seoul after a Chinese military attaché sent him a note challenging the landmark 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling while he was speaking. The confrontation took place on Sept. 8 during the Seoul Defense Dialogue, where Teodoro was discussing maritime security […]
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