Beijing and Manila clash over arrests of ‘illegal’ workers as tensions worsen

Tensions between Beijing and Manila have escalated beyond the South China Sea, with immigration sparking a diplomatic dispute. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had recently expressed a desire to "reset" relations with China. Manila's dismissal of Beijing's criticism of Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. over the May arrests of Chinese workers at a steel plant came under scrutiny.

The Chinese embassy accused Teodoro of engaging in "anti-China activities" aimed at "disrupting" bilateral ties. However, the Philippine defence department labelled the embassy's response as evasive and deceptive, implying guilt. The embassy accused Teodoro of interfering in law enforcement operations after he directed armed forces to detain 70 Chinese nationals at the Sanjia Steel Corporation plant.

All Chinese nationals have since been released. Teodoro defended the arrests, claiming the workers were involved in illegal activities and accused Beijing of interfering in Philippine law enforcement. The embassy rejected this, stating that protecting citizens' safety and legal rights is an embassy's most fundamental duty. Teodoro also criticized Beijing's actions as "extortion and blackmail", while Beijing maintained its immigration measures were lawful and not selectively targeting any country.

Teodoro has become a vocal critic of Beijing's maritime assertiveness, warning of severe territorial and political threats to the Philippines. In June, Beijing imposed sanctions on Teodoro and his family, barring them from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, and restricting Chinese entities from conducting business with them.

Teodoro's latest comments starkly contrasted with recent conciliatory statements from President Marcos, who recently labelled China as "our friend" and discussed broader economic engagement with Beijing. Marcos told foreign correspondents that discussions on joint oil and gas exploration with China had progressed, though no timetable was provided.

He also confirmed a "provisional understanding" with Beijing on resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal, despite China's insistence on removing the warship and blocking resupply missions. China claims sovereignty over almost all islands and rock features in the South China Sea, with rival claimants including the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei.