MANILA, Philippines — China must abandon baseless maritime claims and demonstrate sincerity before direct military communications with the Philippines could resume, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said on Wednesday.
“Firstly, they must prove sincerity,” Teodoro said in a Zoom interview with reporters.
He said Beijing must retreat from assertions of sovereignty and jurisdiction over areas where it had no rights under international law and United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and stop what he called “predatory activities” threatening regional security.
READ: AFP backs Teodoro move to scrap China military hotline
His remarks addressed statements from the Chinese Embassy in Manila accusing him of closing military communication channels for “political self interests” and pushing frontline personnel closer to confrontation.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the embassy described cutting off military channels while refusing to face the potential consequences of conflict as “reckless and irresponsible.”
Teodoro disputed the portrayal of the suspension as a recent decision.
“That is inaccurate because that happened about three years ago,” he said.
He said he stopped direct communications after finding that the exchanges lacked structure and were being abused. He said the rest of communication were coursed through the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Teodoro clarified that the suspension covered direct communications between the Department of National Defense and its attached agencies and China’s defense establishment. Other avenues, including diplomatic channels, remained open.
He also rejected Beijing’s argument that military exchanges were needed to ease tensions.
“Sasabihin nila for de-escalation. Sino nag-e-escalate? Sila eh,” he said. (They will say it is for de-escalation. Who is escalating? They are.)
Asked about the embassy’s claim that his decision brought frontline forces closer to confrontation, Teodoro questioned whether the Philippines had any intention of going to war and accused China of using a false narrative.
The defense chief distinguished the suspension from Philippine Coast Guard communications with China, which he said should remain open for maritime safety and civilian law enforcement.
“The communications flow must remain open sa Coast Guard kasi civilian law enforcement ’yan,” he said. (Communications must remain open for the Coast Guard because that involves civilian law enforcement.)
Teodoro maintained that China’s maritime claims ran against the sovereign interests the Armed Forces of the Philippines was sworn to protect, saying he remained convinced that suspending direct military exchanges was the right decision. /mr
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