President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Sunday criticized China’s decision to sanction Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr., calling the move “very unhelpful” and saying it raises tensions instead of helping manage disputes in the South China Sea, as reported by BusinessWorld.
Beijing had declared Teodoro persona non grata amid escalating tensions over territorial claims in the South China Sea, where both countries have overlapping maritime entitlements. The sanction bars the Defense chief from entering China and signals deepening diplomatic friction between the two nations.
Marcos said the unilateral action undermines efforts at dialogue and cooperation, urging both sides to return to mechanisms that promote peaceful resolution. The Philippines has maintained its position on the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, which China rejects.