Gilberto Teodoro, the Philippine Defense Minister, criticized China's claims regarding the South China Sea during the Seoul Security Dialogue on September 8, calling it an act of "throwing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the ground and trampling on it." The multilateral security meeting, aimed at discussing stability and cooperation in the international order, became a platform for open exchanges over the South China Sea disputes.
Teodoro participated as a panelist in the first session of the Seoul Security Dialogue (SSD), titled "Co-designing a Stable International Order," hosted by the South Korean Ministry of National Defense. He emphasized the importance of adhering to UNCLOS, stating, "Yet, we see several countries not complying. This is illegal," a remark interpreted as directed at China, which has ongoing conflicts with the Philippines in the South China Sea.
The atmosphere intensified when a note was handed to Teodoro during his remarks, claiming that the arbitration ruling regarding the South China Sea was illegal and lacked legal binding force.
Teodoro publicly revealed the contents of the note, suggesting it was from the Chinese side, and responded to the assertion that China does not accept or recognize the ruling by saying, "Of course, they lost." He further pointed out that if this was China's position, it was an act of disregarding and trampling on UNCLOS, showing a lack of basic courtesy to the host country, South Korea.
The criticism escalated as Teodoro stated, "This is no longer a gray area. It is actual coercion, harassment, and an act of invasion." He added, "I will keep this paper as a souvenir to show how desperate China is and how unconvincing their position is in front of a free audience."
The individual who requested the note's delivery was reportedly a military attaché from the Chinese Embassy in South Korea. This attaché asked an event staff member to pass the note to Teodoro, who was mistakenly identified as a Philippine official by the staff.
The backdrop of this debate is the 2016 arbitration ruling concerning the South China Sea. The Philippines filed for arbitration in 2013, claiming that China's actions in the South China Sea violated UNCLOS. In 2016, the ruling stated that China's extensive historical claims lacked legal basis. However, China has refused to acknowledge the ruling and continues to assert its claims over most of the South China Sea.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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