Philippines Defence Chief in Seoul: Reads China's Note, Then Condemns Beijing

Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto C Teodoro publicly criticised China after receiving a note outlining Beijing’s position on the South China Sea dispute while he was delivering remarks at a defence forum in Seoul. The unexpected message was handed to Teodoro during the Seoul Defence Dialogue, where he was discussing regional security issues. Instead of setting the note aside, Teodoro paused his speech and told the audience that he believed it had come from China. He then asked whether he could read the message aloud before responding to its contents. The incident quickly became a prominent moment at the forum, with Teodoro questioning the manner in which the message had been delivered and using the opportunity to restate Manila’s position on the disputed waters.

According to the forum organisers, the message originated from a Chinese military attache based at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul. The official reportedly handed the note to a staff member and requested that it be passed to Teodoro. The staff member apparently believed the paper was a message intended for the Philippine delegation and subsequently delivered it to the defence secretary while he was speaking. A video of the incident showed a man in a white sports coat approaching Teodoro from behind and placing the paper on the table beside him. Teodoro picked it up during his remarks and, after identifying it as a possible communication from China, decided to make its contents public before addressing the broader issue.

The note reportedly stated that China’s position concerning the South China Sea arbitration was “clear, consistent and firm”. It also said that the 2016 arbitration had violated what Beijing described as fundamental principles of international law. The message appeared to refer to the arbitration case initiated by the Philippines under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS. In its 2016 ruling, the tribunal rejected several aspects of China’s expansive historic-rights claims in the South China Sea and found that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within areas falling under the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Beijing has consistently rejected the ruling and maintains that the tribunal did not have jurisdiction over the matter.

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After reading the note, Teodoro sharply questioned why China had chosen to communicate its position in that manner while he was speaking at an international forum. He argued that the incident went beyond the disagreement between Manila and Beijing and amounted to a lack of respect for South Korea, which was hosting the event, as well as other participants. Teodoro said that international disagreements should be handled with greater civility and criticised what he described as the disregard for international law and UNCLOS. He accused China of using pressure and intimidation, describing the incident as “coercion, bullying and aggression”. Teodoro also said he would keep the note as a reminder of what he described as the weakness of China’s position when presented before an international audience.

Teodoro subsequently used the incident to discuss the Philippines’ broader security concerns in the South China Sea. He said the Philippines faces challenges from China on a regular basis and accused Beijing of attempting to occupy and assert its presence in areas that Manila considers part of its territory and exclusive economic zone. He argued that these circumstances had pushed the Philippines to strengthen its defence arrangements and relationships with other countries. Teodoro also stressed that the South China Sea should not be treated as an area that any single state can appropriate for its exclusive use, saying international rules should govern the rights and responsibilities of countries operating in the region.

The South China Sea remains one of the most sensitive geopolitical disputes in Asia, involving overlapping territorial and maritime claims by several countries. The Philippines and China have repeatedly clashed over activities in disputed waters, with Manila relying heavily on the 2016 arbitration ruling to support its position while Beijing continues to reject the decision. The confrontation at the Seoul forum highlighted how the dispute continues to extend beyond the waters themselves and into international diplomatic and defence discussions. Teodoro’s decision to read the Chinese note aloud and directly respond to it brought the disagreement into the open at a forum focused on regional security, underscoring the continuing tensions between the two countries over maritime rights and international law.

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