Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro has barred the Department of National Defense (DND) from making any contact with the Chinese Embassy in Manila over what he described as devious machination to manipulate and the discussion on the West Philippine Sea.
“I reiterate that I have disallowed any contact between the DND and the Chinese Embassy since the courtesy call of Ambassador Huang Xilian, a few days after I assumed office in July of last year,” said Teodoro.
“During the said courtesy call, there was no discussion or briefing on any ‘gentleman's agreement’ or ‘new model’, which is contrary to the Chinese Embassy's pronouncements,” he added.
Teodoro’s statement came following a report quoting the Chinese Embassy in Manila that the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Command and Chinese authorities have agreed for a “new model” in the conduct of activities at the Ayungin Shoal.
The same report was quoted saying that the DND and the National Security Adviser approved the “new model”.
But Teodoro branded as a lie the claim of the Chinese Embassy, saying it was a clear attempt to divert the attention away from China’s harassment and other illegal activities within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea.
“This charade must stop,” said Teodoro in a statement issued on Sunday, May 5.
“I am issuing this statement to generate awareness of this clear attempt by China to advance another falsehood in order to divide our people and distract us from their unlawful presence and actions in our EEZ,” he added.
Questionable timing
Teodoro also questioned the timing of the news report, saying it came after the Defense chiefs of the United States, Australia, Japan and the Philippines expressed serious concerns on the repeated harassments of China during a Quadrilateral Defense Ministers’ meeting of the four countries in Honolulu, Hawaii.
“I would like to clearly state that any insinuation that the Department of National Defense is a party to any "new model" is a devious machination of China through their Embassy in Manila, and it is curious that it comes right after their actions were condemned in the recent meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii,” said Teodoro.
In the meeting, all the four Defense chiefs described the repeated obstruction as actions that pose dangerous and destabilizing behavior.
They also objected to the dangerous deployment of coast guard and maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea.
In a press briefing during the meeting in Hawaii, Teodoro emphasized that the Quadrilateral Defense Ministers’ meeting’s underlying principle is a shared respect for a rules‑based international order and the upholding of international law.
Teodoro said such an expression of support from other countries is essential for the Philippines, being a small, archipelagic nation that depends on the world's acknowledgement of its baselines under international law in preserving its integrity.
“On a more concrete note, this latest iteration will give birth to further cooperation and coordination and interoperability between four of our countries, which the four of us have committed to work closer together in order to have more synergies and partnerships in order to make this alliance that we have stronger and more sustainable in the long run,” said Teodoro.
Be warned
Teodoro also warned the public and the media to be wary of China’s tactic of manipulation.
“We advise our citizens, the media, and the international community to beware of China's methods of manipulation, interference, and malign influence in furthering its own interests,” said Teodoro.
Earlier, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela denounced a handful of Filipinos who willingly became China;s mouthpiece on the West Philippine Sea issue.