The Philippine Defense Minister Teodoro has repeatedly made wrong statements regarding China. On June 11, China announced sanctions against Teodoro and his relatives.
In the eyes of the outside world, China’s actions seem to be intended to “punish a few to warn others”. The South China Morning Post reported on the 13th that several analysts pointed out that Teodoro is the “leading figure” within the Philippine government who publishes anti-China remarks. China’s unusual sanctions against him may be aimed at warning other Philippine officials.
Teodoro has recently frequently advocated for the so-called "China poses a threat to Filipino territory and politics," attempting to undermine relations between China and the Philippines. On May 31 local time, Teodoro accused China of being "the biggest obstacle to reaching a code of conduct in the South China Sea" during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, trying to portray the Philippines as a so-called "strategic sentry" and "guardian of maritime freedom."
On June 11, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that China has decided to ban Teodoro and his spouse and children from entering mainland China, as well as Hong Kong and Macau. It has also been decided to prohibit any transactions or cooperation between organizations and individuals within China with Teodoro and his spouse and children.
During the Shangri-La Dialogue, Teodoro answered questions from the media. Screenshots from Filipino media reports.
China-Southeast Asia South China Sea Research Center Council member Romel Bannawai said that sanctions imposed by the Chinese Defense Minister and his relatives are extremely rare. He believes that Teodoro's remarks regarding the South China Sea are a 'direct trigger', and the role he played in expanding the defense relations between the Philippines, Japan, and the United States may also have had some impact.
Bannawid said, ‘In my opinion, this is the way China expresses its dissatisfaction and responds to Teodoro’s anti-China stance. By imposing sanctions on Teodoro and his family, China has also issued a warning to other Filipino officials.’
Australian Riol Institute's Director of the Southeast Asia Project, Hunter Muston, said that China's measures came as a surprise to many, but the sanctions reflect the trend of tense relations between China and the Philippines. He said, "I believe that China has clearly linked Teodoro's remarks regarding the South China Sea to the subsequent sanctions measures."
Singapore's Nanyang Technological University's Rajaratnam Institute of International Studies' Defense and Security Analyst, Hsu Shu-lin, pointed out that Teodoro was one of the leading figures within the Marcos government in the Philippines who publicly attacked China. He analyzed that 'if we use the Chinese idiom 'kill a chicken to deter others', sanctions imposed by China on the leading figures in the Philippines who oppose China could potentially have a deterrent effect on others.'
Some Filipino politicians are advocating for a “counteraction,” calling on the Philippine government to make what they call a “mutual response” to China. However, analysts say that since the Philippines is the rotating chair of ASEAN, dialogue partners including China will attend the ASEAN meetings. Attempting to be “tough” towards China will only put the Philippines in a difficult diplomatic situation.
