Amid South China Sea Tensions, China Sanctions Philippine Defense Chief

The Chinese government has announced a travel ban and trade restrictions against Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro and his family, accusing him of harming China's interests through his remarks regarding the country.

In a statement released today (June 11), China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The Philippine Secretary of National Defense has repeatedly made false claims regarding China, damaging China's legitimate interests and undermining bilateral relations."

The ministry further explained, "To safeguard China's national sovereignty, security, and development interests, we have decided to prohibit Secretary Teodoro, as well as his spouse and children, from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau."

It added, "Organizations and individuals within China are prohibited from engaging in any transactions, cooperation, or other activities with Secretary Teodoro, his spouse, or his children."

The Foreign Ministry did not specify which particular claims by Secretary Teodoro prompted the sanctions.

Some observers suggest the move targets remarks made by Secretary Teodoro during an interview with Reuters at the Shangri-La Dialogue late last month, where he publicly criticized China, stating that the "Philippines is under serious threat from China," and dismissed China's offers of support as "deceptive."

Tensions between China and the Philippines have been escalating recently, particularly over issues in the South China Sea.

Following a summit in Tokyo on May 28, Japan and the Philippines announced the start of negotiations on maritime boundaries for their respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) and continental shelves. In response, China conducted maritime operations using government vessels near Taiwan for five days starting June 6.

On June 10, the Philippines filed an official protest, claiming that China had installed illegal structures in disputed waters of the South China Sea. China refuted the claim, asserting that the activities were scientific research and demanding that the Philippines stop distorting facts or engaging in exaggerated propaganda.

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.