Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro publicly rebuked China after a note rejecting the 2016 UNCLOS arbitration ruling was placed beside him during his speech at the Seoul Defense Dialogue. Teodoro read the note aloud, called the gesture "coercion, bullying and aggression," and said it disrespected both international law and the forum's hosts. He warned that repeated pressure from China has driven the Philippines to pursue creative defense arrangements and stronger alliances.
Philippine Defense Chief Rebukes China at Seoul Forum After Note Interrupts Remarks: 'Coercion, Bullying'
Philippines Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoso (5th from right) can be seen on stage with other world leaders during the opening ceremony of the 15th Seoul Defense Dialogue (SSD) in Seoul on September 8, 2026.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro publicly confronted what he described as a provocative gesture by China after a note outlining Beijing's stance on the South China Sea was placed beside him while he spoke at the Seoul Defense Dialogue in South Korea.
Midway through his remarks, a man in a white sports coat walked up behind Teodoro and set a sheet of paper on the table beside him. Teodoro paused, addressed the audience and said, "I have a note here; I think this is from China." With the forum's attention, he asked permission to read it aloud.
Two Philippine Coast Guard ships were reportedly surrounded by Chinese vessels in a tense standoff in the South China Sea on Monday, further raising tensions between the two countries, in South China Sea, Off Philippines on March 24, 2025.
"China's position on the South China Sea arbitration is clear, consistent and firm. They have no position. The arbitration violates fundamental principles of international law."
The note almost certainly referenced the 2016 arbitration case the Philippines brought under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The arbitral tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines, finding that certain maritime claims and land reclamation activities asserted by China had no legal basis within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. Beijing has repeatedly rejected that ruling.
Teodoro responded forcefully. He criticized the stunt as disrespectful to the forum's hosts and the international audience and framed it as an example of coercion. "If this is a Chinese position sent to me, it not only disrespects international law—throwing UNCLOS to the floor and trampling upon it—but it also disrespects the basic decency accorded our gracious host, the Republic of Korea, and the rest of the audience here," he said.
A nuclear-powered Type 094A Jin-class ballistic missile submarine of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy navigates during a military display in the South China Sea.
He added, "So, perhaps basic decency and behavior is what China needs to do. This is actual coercion, bullying and aggression. I will keep this paper as a memento of how desperate China is and how ineffective its position is in the face of a free audience." He thanked the person who handed him the note and said the gesture had done Beijing "a great service" by exposing its stance to scrutiny.
Teodoro reiterated the Philippines' long-standing concerns: daily challenges from the People's Republic of China attempting to assert control over territory and maritime areas that the Philippines regards as within its exclusive economic zone, in contravention of UNCLOS. He said these pressures have pushed the Philippines toward "creative defense arrangements and alliances."
The exchange comes amid ongoing maritime tensions in the South China Sea. Earlier incidents include a reported March 24, 2025, standoff in which two Philippine Coast Guard vessels were reportedly surrounded by Chinese ships. Images circulating alongside coverage also showed Chinese naval hardware, including a Type 094A Jin-class ballistic missile submarine displayed in the region.
Teodoro was appearing on stage with other officials at the opening ceremony of the 15th Seoul Defense Dialogue (SSD) in Seoul on September 8, 2026, when the incident occurred. The episode underscores how diplomatic forums can become stages for broader geopolitical messaging—and how small gestures may carry outsized diplomatic consequences.
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