MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines must brace itself for an escalation of Chinese pressure in the strategic waters near Batanes as Beijing attempts to widen its footprint in the northern frontier, Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. warned on Wednesday, October 14.
Speaking during a virtual interview with defense reporters, Teodoro stressed that Manila needs to anticipate heavier maritime activities close to the country’s northernmost province, which stands near Taiwan and the critical Luzon Strait.
He emphasized that the situation necessitates a stronger internal defense posture and deeper international partnerships.
“They have a plan for escalation here,” Teodoro said.
“Regardless of whether our position is X or Y, they have an intention regarding the Republic of the Philippines to co-opt it,” he added.
The warning follows growing friction triggered by Chinese academic assertions claiming Batanes as part of Chinese territory, alongside a subsequent declaration from the Chinese Embassy in Manila asserting sovereignty and jurisdiction over the surrounding waters.
The controversy erupted after a June 30 symposium at Jinan University in Guangzhou, where attendees suggested Batanes is a geographic extension of Taiwan.
Although Beijing has not officially adopted the scholars’ stance as state policy, the remarks drew swift pushback from Philippine officials and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, which highlighted historical records—such as a 1687 account by British explorer William Dampier—proving absolute Philippine sovereignty.
Maritime tensions further flared last month when the Philippine Coast Guard monitored a Chinese research vessel, the Jia Hai Ke 7, loitering roughly 38 nautical miles northwest of Itbayat, Batanes. On October 2, the Department of Foreign Affairs firmly rejected Beijing’s territorial claims over the waterway, noting that authorities were conducting legitimate law enforcement against unauthorized marine research.
Given the vital strategic location of Batanes along international shipping lanes and military navigation routes, Teodoro underscored that safeguarding the area is a matter of global importance.
“You just have to make our resilience harder internally through our deterrence buildup, which is critical, and our alliance buildup,” he noted.
“We will prevent it as much as, true to our utmost ability, we will prevent it,” he said. “And let us remember that it is also an international strategic waterway, which makes it a global concern.”