While President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has spent months trying to ease tensions and strategically “reset” the country’s relationship with China for an oil and energy partnership, the National Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., on the other hand, remains a firm critic of Beijing’s actions in defense of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the country’s sovereign rights — even if it means publicly calling out Chinese officials in a conference.
The tension between China and the Philippines has only escalated since the 2016 arbitral ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague favored the Philippines’ maritime claims and determined China’s nine-dash line and reclamation activities unlawful. China has since rejected the ruling and continued asserting its claim. During former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, he largely set aside the court’s ruling for warmer ties with Beijing and economic benefits. But now, the current administration has shifted to a more assertive stance towards the seas while pursuing economic engagement, with Teodoro at the forefront.
We look at the moments Teodoro has called China out, from the most blunt to the most controversial.
2024 ‘provocation’ remarks
Teodoro is among the loudest voices protecting the Philippines’ maritime rights, and he’s been a core defender of it well before he was appointed the Department of National Defense (DND) secretary in 2023.
In May 2024, Teodoro slammed China’s new detention policy for foreigners who violate the entrance and exit regulations in what they claim is the South China Sea. Beijing allowed its coast guard to detain foreigners it deems “trespassers” without trial, and Teodoro did not mince his words.
Speaking at a Philippine Navy anniversary celebration, Teodoro called China’s threats “rogue-ish” and “irresponsible,” particularly its claims over the high seas and the West Philippine Sea. He further described the move as a “provocation” and a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the UN Charter.
Teodoro, in the same year, said during a high-level defense dialogue with his Australian counterpart in Canberra that Beijing is “increasing its demand” and putting pressure on the Philippines to cede claims on the seas. He noted the importance of partnerships with countries like Australia to advance the country’s defense industry and deter Chinese incursions.
“The biggest evidence of this is that nobody has actually supported their actions or activities,” Teodoro said, claiming that the Philippines is a “victim of Chinese aggression.” His remarks reflected a stance he would repeatedly stand firm on in the years that followed, which is that China’s pressure on the Philippines was a campaign of “coercion.”
2025 direct spats
By 2025, Teodoro became more direct. In March, he was caught in a hostile verbal exchange with the Chinese diplomats over discussions on the seas. The defense secretary accused Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party of pursuing “aggressive” policies that could damage China’s goodwill. He went even further by calling China’s claims over the West Philippine Sea “the biggest fiction and lie.”
This prompted a response from the Chinese Embassy in Manila, which accused Teodoro of making accusations and even warned the Philippines against becoming a “mouthpiece” after its increasing defense cooperation with the United States.
“The Philippine defense secretary’s unwarranted accusations against China, as well as his malicious attacks on the Communist Party of China and Chinese leaders, are filled with ideological bias and Cold War thinking,” the embassy said.
Another one of his striking berates happened during the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in 2025. Despite there being no official Chinese representatives present at the forum, the defense secretary caught that some Chinese media were disguising political propaganda as questions.
One reporter asked why the Philippines could not follow the examples of Malaysia and Vietnam and pursue dialogue with Beijing, while another questioned whether Manila was acting as a proxy for the United States. “To our Chinese interlocutors, I shall address you collectively. Thank you for the propaganda spiels disguised as questions,” said Teodoro. He added that China needs more “trust-building” to do for proper settlement and for dialogue to be effective.
2026 Seoul Defense Dialogue
On September 8, Teodoro made international headlines after his panel discussion at the Seoul Defense Dialogue was interrupted due to a handwritten note he received from a Chinese delegate. The note read, “China’s position on the South China Sea arbitration has been clear, consistent, and firm. The ‘arbitration’ violates fundamental principles of international law.”
It again rejected the landmark 2016 arbitration ruling, which recognized the Philippines’ ownership of the West Philippine Sea under the UNCLOS. The note further said, “the so-called award is illegal, void, null.”
Teodoro then fiercely denounced China’s move, calling it a “blatant disrespect” to the Republic of Korea, which hosted the international forum, and said that “basic decency and behavior” is what China should do. He further said he will keep the note as a memento of how “desperate” China is. “Now, in Filipino, maging disente lang kayo nang konti. Mahiya naman kayo nang konti,” he stated before the audience, who applauded.
China’s Sanctions and Response
In June 2026, China sanctioned Teodoro after the “irresponsible remarks” he allegedly made. Beijing said it harmed China’s legitimate interests and “sabotaged” the relationship between China and the Philippines.
Teodoro was officially barred from entering the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau, and this sanction was also extended to his immediate family. He was further prohibited from engaging in any transactions, cooperation, or any activities with any Chinese organizations or individuals.
“To uphold China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, China has decided to prohibit Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his spouse and child from entering the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao,” the statement from China read.
Meanwhile, in response to the recent note incident, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning hit back on September 9. She urged “certain individuals in the Philippines” to stop “grandstanding and stirring up trouble,” and to stop “undermining China-Philippines relations and stability in the South China Sea.”
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. is the Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND) who has a strong stance against Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea.
The 2016 landmark ruling was made by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which favored the Philippines’ claims over the West Philippine Sea, rejected the legal basis of China’s nine-dash line, and declared its reclamation activities unlawful. China has since rejected the ruling and continued asserting its claim.
It has since rejected the ruling and continued to assert its claim, calling the “so-called award illegal, void, null.”
In June 2026, China barred Teodoro from entering the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau, and extended the ban to his immediate family. He was also prohibited from engaging in any transactions, cooperation, or activities with any Chinese organizations or individuals.
Teodoro received a note expressing China’s position on the maritime dispute on September 8, during the Seoul Defense Dialogue.
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