Beijing tells Manila to ‘stop lying’ after minister exposes South China Sea note

Beijing has rebuked Philippine officials for accusing China's diplomats of "grandstanding and lying" regarding a South China Sea note. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning urged Philippine officials to cease this behavior and to maintain good relations with China. This comes after Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro read aloud a handwritten note from a Chinese diplomat at a Seoul Defense Dialogue session.

The note criticized the arbitration ruling of 2016, which denied most of China's claims in the South China Sea, and labeled it "illegal, null and void". Teodoro found the note impolite, disrespectful to South Korean hosts, and indicative of China's desperation. The Philippine Foreign Ministry acknowledged the sincerity of Teodoro's remarks.

This incident follows heightened tensions in the disputed waters, where China and the Philippines have engaged in confrontations and clashes, raising concerns of military escalation that could involve the United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines. In a previous incident, China imposed sanctions on Teodoro for his comments against China that allegedly undermined China's legitimate interests and harmed bilateral relations.