Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. on Friday, September 18, asserted that Beijing has no authority to dictate how the Philippines interprets and executes its own “One China” stance.
Teodoro issued the remark after China’s Foreign Ministry demanded that Manila strictly adhere to the One China principle in response to Taiwan’s intentions to set up a secondary diplomatic post in Cebu.
“Tayo ang nagde-define ng One China policy. Tayo ang nagde-define, hindi sila,” Teodoro stated.
“Kinikilala naman natin yung One China policy. Pero kung papaano natin kilalanin… huwag na nilang pakialaman,” he emphasized, noting that the Department of Foreign Affairs fully comprehends the boundary of the policy.
Addressing other regional issues, the defense chief labeled China’s recent string of rocket tests as “provocative,” though he noted they posed no immediate danger even with splashdown areas mapped close to Philippine waters.
He likewise brushed off Beijing’s claims that Philippine maritime resupply trips are mere publicity plays, challenging Chinese officials to confront the core legal disputes, particularly the landmark 2016 arbitral award regarding the South China Sea.
“Yan na lang ang masasabi nila kasi hindi sila makasagot sa merits. Ganun na lang ang sinasabi nila. Sagutin nila sa merits,” Teodoro asserted.
“Humarap sila sa arbitral award sana. Ngayon, may karapatan dapat silang magsalita kung nanalo sila ng arbitration, hindi sila sumama. Forfeited na yung kanilang karapatan magsalita,” he added.
Beijing has consistently refused to recognize the UN tribunal decision that invalidated its expansive territorial claims under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“Wala na nga silang pakialam doon kasi international law ito. Kung hindi sila sumama, so pasaway sila,” Teodoro remarked.
In the same briefing, Teodoro confirmed that preliminary work for the upcoming Naval Operating Base in Palawan remains underway, with site preparation and presidential proclamations progressing ahead of groundbreaking.