MANILA (Reuters) — The Philippine defense chief will continue to do his duty in the face of China’s “wickedness,” he said on Friday, a day after Beijing sanctioned him for what it called repeated “erroneous remarks.”
Frequent spats have soured ties between China and U.S. ally the Philippines in the past few years, as Manila, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr,, pushes back at what it sees as aggression by Beijing.
China has accused the Philippines of repeated encroachment in its waters in the disputed South China Sea.
“That is truly what they do to those who speak the truth against their deception,” Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said in a statement, referring to the sanctions.
“I will just keep doing my duty and uphold our nation in the face of the wickedness they are committing here and even in our seas.”
In response, China accused Teodoro of pulling a “stunt to serve his own political self-interest,” with its foreign ministry saying the Philippine official was distorting facts.
“It is precisely the irresponsible and reckless behavior of a small group of people like him that has led to the escalation of the disputes between China and Philippine,” ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a regular news briefing.
Thursday’s sanctions by the ministry against Teodoro and close relatives faulted the Philippine official for “repeatedly made erroneous remarks concerning China” which had undermined the country’s legitimate interests and two-way ties.
Teodoro’s remarks were “clear and accurate representations of international law” the Philippine armed forces said in a statement on Friday, calling China’s sanctions “ungrounded.”
The sanctions are a “transparent attempt at political intimidation” and will not deter the military from its constitutional duty, including patrols in the South China Sea, military spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Trinidad added.
On the sidelines of Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue on May 30, Teodoro had told Reuters China remained a “severe threat” with no show of long-term good faith, despite its recent offer of fertilizer and fuel to overcome Iran war-related shortages.
Manila will seek discussions with Chinese authorities about the sanctions, which the Philippines believes are not correct, Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro said on Friday, adding that the country prefers diplomacy and dialogue over sanctions.
‘Unfriendly act’ complicates relations
In a statement on Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it viewed the sanctions as an “unfriendly act that further complicates bilateral relations.”
It added, “Such measures do not contribute to building mutual trust, managing differences responsibly, or creating the conditions necessary for constructive engagement.”
The sanctions put Teodoro among other foreign officials who have faced similar actions by Beijing in recent years.
China sanctioned U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his criticism of the Chinese government and human rights accusations when he was still a senator in 2020.
Beijing has since found a diplomatic workaround in the Chinese translation of Rubio’s name that let him join President Donald Trump last month for a summit to stabilize ties.
In 2021, Beijing also imposed similar sanctions on five European Union lawmakers over accusations of Chinese persecution of Muslims in the northwestern region of Xinjiang region.
China lifted those measures last year as it pursues closer EU ties to limit damage from Trump’s tariffs war.
Beijing accused the Philippine defense chief last week of lacking gratitude for China’s supply of commodities and using issues about people’s well-being for political showmanship.
Manila took diplomatic action against Beijing this week for what it called the “illegal presence” of a floating structure in a disputed atoll.
