Philippines’ Teodoro Reads China’s Secret Note At Seoul Defence Dialogue, Calls Out Beijing’s ‘Bullying’

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro sharply rebuked China at an international security forum in Seoul after receiving a note that restated Beijing’s rejection of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling.

Teodoro was speaking at the Seoul Defense Dialogue on Tuesday when he received the note during a panel discussion. In a video released by the Philippines’ Department of National Defense, he read its contents to the audience before responding to Beijing’s position point by point.

The note said China’s position on the arbitration was “clear, consistent and firm” and described the ruling as illegal, null and void, with no binding force. It said Beijing neither accepted nor recognised the award and would oppose claims or actions based on it.

Teodoro’s Response

Teodoro questioned why the note had been handed to him while he was answering a question on stage.

He argued that if the document represented China’s position, it showed disregard for international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), under which the Philippines brought its arbitration case.

“How can you deal with a country in an international forum” while behaving this way, Teodoro asked, criticising the manner in which the message was delivered. He said the move also showed disrespect towards South Korea, which hosted the dialogue, and other participants.

He then switched briefly to Filipino, telling the Chinese side to “maging disente lang kayo ng konti, mahiya naman kayo ng konti,” urging them to show greater decency and shame.

Teodoro went further, calling the incident “actual coercion, bullying and aggression”. He said he would keep the note as a “memento” of what he described as China’s desperation and ineffective position before an international audience.

China’s Position

The message handed to Teodoro closely reflected Beijing’s longstanding position on the arbitration ruling.

In July, China’s Foreign Ministry again rejected the award ahead of its 10th anniversary, calling it illegal and without binding force. Beijing said the ruling violated fundamental principles of international law and argued that maritime disputes should instead be resolved through negotiation and consultation between the directly concerned countries.

China has also continued to assert sovereignty over the South China Sea and associated maritime rights and interests. It says the Philippines and other countries have used the arbitration ruling to expand their territorial and maritime claims, while accusing outside powers of increasing military involvement in the region.

A Wider Dispute

The public confrontation in Seoul comes amid continuing tensions between Manila and Beijing over disputed waters in the South China Sea.

The Philippines continues to cite the 2016 arbitration ruling in defending its maritime rights, while China rejects the award. The dispute has also increasingly shaped the Philippines’ defence policy and its security partnerships with other countries.

Teodoro referred to those broader challenges during his remarks, saying the Philippines faced continuing pressure from China over its territory and exclusive economic zone and had consequently been pushed towards stronger defence arrangements and alliances.

The Seoul exchange therefore brought a longstanding legal and maritime dispute into the middle of an international defence forum, with Teodoro using Beijing’s own note to publicly challenge its interpretation of international law.