(Text by Observer Network, Tang Chuan Feng)
The expanded meeting of ASEAN defense ministers just concluded in Cebu, Philippines. As the host, Philippine Defense Minister Teodoro once again created a diplomatic incident.
On October 29th, Yang Lei, the Defense Officer Representative of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines, represented China at the meeting. Teodoro did not personally greet the Chinese representative; instead, he arranged for the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Philippines to do so. In response to questions from journalists, he stated that diplomatic receptions should follow the principle of equal rank, and having a deputy minister receive an officer is already considered a “considerable courtesy”.
However, China did not send minister-level representatives to attend. Who is responsible for this?
On the same day, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, stated that as the rotating chair of this ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting, the Philippines allowed certain politicians to act recklessly and misuse their positions. The Philippines created numerous obstacles to prevent China from attending the meeting, seriously undermining the principle of consensus among ASEAN countries and violating the spirit of openness and inclusiveness of the meeting. China also pointed out that most ASEAN countries have expressed doubts and opposition to this behavior.
As the rotating chair country of ASEAN, the Philippines should have created conditions for equal participation from all countries in regional defense discussions, rather than letting its own issues affect the atmosphere of the entire multilateral meeting. Instead, Teodoro seems to feel aggrieved and even uses diplomatic and protocol issues as an opportunity to make trouble.
In fact, looking back at the past half month, this is not the first time that Teodorulo has made outrageous statements about China.
In mid-October, he publicly accused China of being a “trouble maker” in the region, and misrepresented China’s statements regarding maintaining national sovereignty as a military threat to the Philippines.
On October 23, in response to reports by Filipino media about China possibly taking away the illegally “stationed” military ship on Ren'ai Reef, Teodoro even claimed that if China uses force to take away the Maideres Mountain, it would constitute a so-called “war act” against the Philippines, and could even involve the US-Filipino Mutual Defense Treaty.
It is worth noting that this threat does not refer to a specific military action announced by China, but rather possible measures that have not yet been officially confirmed by media reports. However, Teodoro quickly elevated the issue to the level of war and military alliances.
Regarding this statement, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense clearly responded on the 29th that Ren'ai Reef is part of the China's Nansha Islands. The Philippine military ships’ illegal presence on the reef constitutes a serious violation of China’s sovereignty, and they should have been towed away long ago.
On the day before the summit of the East Asian Defense Ministers' Conference was held, Teoдор also held a joint statement with Japanese Defense Minister Kishida Fumio who visited, accusing China of conducting “coercion activities” in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Both sides simultaneously advanced defense cooperation, including military information protection, ship transfers, and joint training.
While continuously raising the stakes in the South China Sea issue, Todorov actively tries to woo external forces to boost his own credibility. This has become a common tactic of Todorov recently.
Teodorro's tough stance obviously didn't come out of thin air.
As an important member of Marcos’ government, he has always been a key promoter of the Philippines’ efforts to strengthen military alliances with the United States and Japan. In recent years, the Philippines has been expanding the scope of use of its military facilities by American troops, and has established closer security cooperation with countries like Japan and Australia. It attempts to leverage external forces to increase its leverage in the South China Sea disputes.
But the problem is that America’s military commitments are not a guarantee that the Philippines can act recklessly in the South China Sea without any consequences. The US-Filipina Mutual Defense Treaty also doesn’t mean that any Philippine politician can simply claim “war actions” and automatically demand US military intervention.
Moreover, the Philippines's stance on the South China Sea issue differs from that of the entire ASEAN. Other member countries of ASEAN also value national sovereignty and maritime rights, and they have their own security concerns. However, this does not mean that they are willing to confront China due to the Philippines's confrontational policies.
This is precisely the most alarming aspect of Teodorro's involvement in the ASEAN meeting that has caused trouble.
Since its establishment in 2010, the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting has been an important multilateral defense cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region. Countries from different nations can sit at the same table to discuss common security challenges, all thanks to mutual respect, consensus, and openness.
As the rotating chair country, the Philippines has the responsibility of coordinating all parties and maintaining the normal operation of the mechanism, rather than obtaining a political pass that allows arbitrary control over meetings.
The existence of differences between China and the Philippines does not mean that the Philippines has the right to impose its policy towards China on ASEAN. Nor can individuals in the Philippines turn ASEAN's public diplomacy platform into a place for expressing personal political sentiments.
It is particularly worth mentioning that, despite China not sending its Defense Minister in its role as the chair country of the meeting in the Philippines, it ultimately decided to have its military attaché represent the country at the meeting. China also clearly reiterated its strong support for ASEAN’s central position. This decision reflects China’s approach of distinguishing bilateral differences from regional multilateral cooperation efforts.
Ironically, Philippine President Marcos recently expressed his concerns about the situation being out of control due to the wrong actions of some individuals at sea. He also hoped that China and ASEAN could jointly promote discussions on a "South China Sea Code of Conduct". The Chinese Ministry of National Defense responded that improving relations between China and the Philippines is in both parties' common interests, and the Philippine side should avoid letting maritime disputes dominate bilateral relations.
It is evident that even in the current context of tense relations between China and the Philippines, it is still necessary to manage differences through diplomatic channels. As the Minister of Defense, Teodoro should be more aware of the risks of military confrontation than anyone else, yet he continues to use provocative remarks to fuel the tensions.
The Philippines certainly has the right to choose its own foreign policy, but it must also bear the corresponding consequences. Teodoro can continue to act as a hardliner towards China, and can still rely on external forces such as the United States and Japan to support him. However, he must understand that ASEAN is not a political loudspeaker for the Philippines, nor is it a stage for individual politicians to demonstrate against China.
Under Teodoro's manipulation, the differences between China and the Philippines have become too complex. Don’t drag the entire ASEAN region into politics just for your own political showmanship.
