Philippine Defense Chief Gives China a Befitting Reply at Seoul Defense Dialogue

The tension between China and the Philippines took a new turn this week when Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. publicly challenged China over the South China Sea at a defense meeting in Seoul.

Teodoro was speaking at the Seoul Defense Dialogue on September 8 when a note from the Chinese side was handed to him. The note repeated China’s position that it does not accept the 2016 international arbitration ruling on the South China Sea.

Instead of keeping the matter private, Teodoro read parts of the note aloud and answered it in front of the audience.

When the note said China did not accept or recognize the arbitration ruling, Teodoro simply replied:

“Of course, because you lost.” (Philstar)

His response received widespread attention because it was unusually direct for an international diplomatic forum.

 

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Why did China send the note?

The note repeated China’s long-standing position on the South China Sea dispute.

China says the 2016 arbitration was illegal and that the decision has no binding force. Beijing has refused to accept or recognize the ruling since it was issued.

The Philippines takes the opposite position. Manila says the ruling is important and supports its rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS.

The 2016 tribunal rejected the legal basis for China’s claim to historic rights over large areas of the South China Sea beyond the maritime rights allowed under UNCLOS. (Yonhap News)

This disagreement has remained at the centre of China-Philippines relations for years.

Teodoro says China’s action was disrespectful

Teodoro was not angry only about what the note said. He also questioned why it was given to him while he was speaking.

He said that if China wanted to discuss the issue, it should do so in a proper and respectful way.

He accused China of showing a lack of respect for the forum, its host country South Korea and international law. He also described China’s actions in the South China Sea as “coercion, bullying and aggression.” (AP News)

Teodoro even switched to Filipino and told China, in simple terms, to “be a little decent” and “have a little shame.”

He later said he would keep the note as a reminder of what he described as China’s desperation.

This is not just a fight over one piece of paper

The incident is important because it shows how serious the disagreement between China and the Philippines has become.

The South China Sea is one of the most important waterways in the world. Several countries have competing claims there, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

China claims a very large part of the sea, while the Philippines says some of the areas claimed by China fall within its maritime rights and Exclusive Economic Zone.

There have been repeated confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels in recent years.

The latest incident in Seoul therefore comes at a time when relations are already under considerable pressure.

The bigger question is international law

The most important issue here is not Teodoro’s sharp language.

The bigger question is whether countries should respect international legal decisions even when those decisions go against them.

China argues that the 2016 arbitration was not valid.

The Philippines argues that the ruling must be respected.

Both countries are unlikely to change their positions soon.

For smaller countries such as the Philippines, international law is particularly important because it provides a way to defend their interests without depending only on military strength.

If powerful countries can simply reject international decisions whenever they do not like the result, smaller countries could become much more vulnerable.

But the Philippines also needs to remain careful

Teodoro’s strong response may have been popular at home, but the Philippines must be careful not to allow the dispute to become a military confrontation.

The country has been increasing defense cooperation with the United States and other countries. Teodoro recently said that Manila was also expanding security ties with countries including Canada, New Zealand, France and Britain. (Reuters)

These partnerships can help the Philippines protect itself.

But stronger military alliances should also be accompanied by diplomacy.

The Philippines needs to stand firmly for its rights while keeping communication open with China.

A small incident at sea should never be allowed to become a larger conflict between two countries.

China also needs to understand the message coming from the region

China has enormous economic and military power. But power alone cannot create long-term stability.

Its neighbours are becoming increasingly concerned about Chinese actions in the South China Sea. This is pushing countries in the region to strengthen their military and diplomatic relationships with one another.

That could eventually create an environment where China faces more regional opposition rather than less.

A more peaceful approach from Beijing could reduce these concerns.

The real lesson from Seoul

The dramatic exchange in Seoul will probably be remembered because of Teodoro’s words:

“Of course, because you lost.”

But the real story is much bigger.

It shows that the Philippines is becoming more willing to publicly challenge China instead of quietly handling disagreements behind closed doors.

It also shows that the 2016 South China Sea ruling is still a major issue ten years after it was issued.

The Philippines wants the ruling and international maritime law to be respected.

China continues to reject the ruling.

Until that basic disagreement changes, tensions in the South China Sea are likely to continue.

The best outcome for the region is not a bigger military confrontation. It is a situation where international law, diplomacy and dialogue are stronger than threats and military pressure.

Teodoro may have won the moment with a sharp sentence, but the real test will be whether the Philippines and China can prevent their next confrontation from becoming something much more dangerous.