Philippines defence chief accuses China of bullying

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro accused Beijing of bullying after he received a note during an international forum in Seoul that he said asserted China's position on contested South China Sea waters.

Teodoro was on stage for a panel discussion at the Seoul Defense Dialogue on Tuesday when he received a paper from what appeared to be an event staffer, video of the forum shows. He read from the note, saying it stated that China's position on the South China Sea arbitration was “clear, consistent, and firm” and that the arbitration violated fundamental principles of international law.

The arbitration refers to a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal in The Hague that largely sided with the Philippines in its case against China's claims in the South China Sea. Several countries in the region, including the Philippines, have overlapping territorial claims with China.

Teodoro criticised the note as an act of aggression. He said that if it was a Chinese position sent to him, it disrespected international law, the forum host and the audience. He called it “actual coercion, bullying, and aggression”.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that a military attache at China's embassy in Seoul asked an event staffer to hand over the note. AFP said it had not been able to confirm that account.

Asked about the incident, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said she was “not aware of the specifics regarding the situation on the ground”. She urged “certain individuals in the Philippines” to stop “grandstanding and stirring up trouble” and to stop undermining China-Philippines relations and stability in the South China Sea.