Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. on Sunday accused the Chinese Embassy of acting in bad faith after it rejected the Philippines’ position on the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling, escalating Manila’s criticism of Beijing’s latest statements on the maritime dispute, according to BusinessWorld.
Teodoro said the embassy’s statement demonstrates the “true intentions” of the Chinese Communist Party, which he argued undermines regional stability and respect for international law. The Philippine government maintains that the 2016 ruling is final and binding, while China has consistently refused to recognize it.
The exchange marks the latest escalation in tensions between the two countries over territorial claims in the South China Sea, with Manila reiterating its commitment to the arbitral award as a basis for resolving disputes peacefully.