Philippine defence chief accuses China of ‘bullying’ after receiving South China Sea note at Seoul forum

Seoul, September 9 — The Philippine defense chief has accused China of "bullying" after receiving a note from Beijing at an international forum, asserting China's expansive claims over contested waters in the South China Sea. Secretary Gilberto Teodoro was on stage during a panel discussion at the Seoul Defence Dialogue when he was handed a piece of paper that appeared to have been provided by an event staff member, according to video footage.

"I have a note here. I think this is from China," he remarked before reading its contents. The note stated China's position on the South China Sea arbitration, which Teodoro described as "clear, consistent, and firm." The arbitration, a landmark ruling by an international tribunal in The Hague, sided overwhelmingly with the Philippines against China in 2016.

The Philippines and other nations in the region, including South Korea, have overlapping territorial claims in the heavily patrolled South China Sea, leading to frequent altercations. Neither South Korea's defense ministry nor the Chinese embassy responded to AFP's requests for comment on Teodoro's allegation. The Philippine defense chief vehemently criticized the note, arguing that it not only violated international law but also disrespected the host of the forum and other attendees.

He stated, "If this is a Chinese position sent to me, it not only disrespects international law, but also the forum host and the rest of the audience here. So, perhaps basic decency and behavior is what China needs to do... This is actual coercion, bullying, and aggression." Teodoro, who plans to keep the memo as a "memento of how desperate China is," claimed that a military attaché at China's embassy in Seoul handed over the note to an event staffer. However, AFP could not verify this account.