MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro on Monday said China uses propaganda efforts aimed at influencing people and sowing division among Filipinos over the country’s territorial sovereignty.
Teodoro, during the Senate hearing on the 2027 budget of the Department of National Defense and its attached agencies, affirmed that China’s People’s Liberation Army employs influence and propaganda activities as part of its broader strategy.
“There really is and they admit it–that it’s part of the United Front Works, which is a pillar of their Communist Party,” he said. “[That’s] part and parcel of their tactics. We can really see that–with a straight face, they will say ‘That is ours’, even if they don’t have the right.”
READ: China alone is the troublemaker in the region – Teodoro
The defense chief warned that allowing China’s narratives on disputed waters to go unchallenged could eventually normalize its claims in the eyes of the public.
“If we don’t stand up against that narrative, it will be normalized. They will say, ‘You accepted it, you didn’t say anything’. So it’s better for us to defend our stand than to lose it by default,” he added.
Sen. JV Ejercito, the chair of the Senate finance committee, meanwhile, urged fellow Filipinos to remain vigilant against possible disinformation and influence operations, particularly those that exploit social media to deepen divisions over matters of national interest.
He said Filipinos can maintain friendships with the Chinese people while firmly opposing actions that violate Philippine sovereignty.
“We can respect the Chinese people without turning a blind eye to the actions of their government,” Ejercito said. /das
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