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Cao Jiaxuan

Tensions between Beijing and Manila appear to have spilled over from the South China Sea to immigration, just as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr indicated he wanted to “reset” ties.
Manila on Sunday dismissed Beijing’s criticism of Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr over his role in the arrests of Chinese workers at a steel plant in Misamis Oriental in May.
A Chinese embassy official in Manila late on Saturday accused Teodoro of carrying out “anti-China activities” to “disrupt” bilateral ties.
But the Philippine defence department said the embassy’s response did not address Teodoro’s concerns, calling it “a classic example of evasiveness and a badge of deception” that amounted in legal terms to an “implied admission of culpability”.
Embassy spokesman Ji Lingpeng had questioned whether Teodoro was a defence secretary or police chief and asked why he had “interfered in law enforcement operations”.

In May, Teodoro directed armed forces to detain 70 allegedly undocumented Chinese nationals at the Sanjia Steel Corporation plant, prompting formal protests from Beijing and consular visits. According to the embassy, all of the Chinese nationals have since been released.
The embassy was responding to a social media post by Teodoro on Saturday saying the workers were engaged in illegal activities and accusing Chinese officials of intervening in Philippine law enforcement.
The embassy rejected the claim, saying any person with “basic knowledge of diplomacy” knew that protecting citizens’ safety and legal rights was an embassy’s most fundamental duty.
Teodoro also described Beijing’s approach as a “classic squid tactic – disinformation through avoidance”.
He made the remarks after Beijing said it had taken action against more than 100 Filipinos “for illegally working or living in China”.
Teodoro condemned the move as “plain and simple extortion and blackmail”, while Beijing insisted its immigration authorities were acting in accordance with the law and that the measures did not target any specific country.
The defence chief has emerged as one of Manila’s most vocal critics of Beijing’s assertive maritime stance, repeatedly warning that the Philippines faced severe territorial and political threats from China.
In June, Beijing imposed sanctions on Teodoro and his immediate family, barring them from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as prohibiting Chinese entities from doing business with them.


Teodoro’s latest remarks were a sharp contrast to recent conciliatory statements from Philippine leader Marcos, who just days earlier had described China as “our friend” and said Manila would pursue broader economic engagement with Beijing.
On Friday, Marcos told foreign correspondents at a lunch that discussions on joint oil and gas exploration with China had “moved forward”, though he gave no timetable and stressed that terms still needed to be defined.
He also confirmed for the first time that there was a “provisional understanding” with Beijing on resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, while insisting that Manila was neither seeking China’s permission nor surrendering sovereignty.
The Philippines deliberately marooned the World War II-era warship in 1999 to assert Manila’s claim to the disputed shoal in the Spratly Islands, where a handful of marines are posted. China has repeatedly called for the warship to be removed and sought to block resupply missions.
Beijing claims sovereignty over almost all the islands and rock features and their adjacent waters in the South China Sea, with rival claimants including the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei.


This story has been edited to use the correct name for the spokesman of China's embassy in Manila.


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South China Sea

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Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr said Beijing’s approach was a “classic squid tactic – disinformation through avoidance”. Photo: Reuters

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr answers questions at a Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines lunch on Friday. Photo: AP

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China

Diplomacy

Manila rejects criticism of defence chief – who accused China of ‘squid tactics’ – just as president indicated he wanted to ‘reset’ ties


Manila rejects criticism of defence chief – who accused China of ‘squid tactics’ – just as president indicated he wanted to ‘reset’ ties.


China-Philippines relations

The Philippines

Ferdinand Marcos Jnr

Gilberto Teodoro Jnr

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

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Manila rejects criticism of defence chief – who accused China of ‘squid tactics’ – just as president indicated he wanted to ‘reset’ ties

Manila rejects criticism of defence chief – who accused China of ‘squid tactics’ – just as president indicated he wanted to ‘reset’ ties