Teodoro Blasts China over Criticism of Japan Role in Balikatan Exercises
Why It Matters
The remarks signal the Philippines’ pivot toward Japan and the U.S., warning that China’s destabilizing actions could disrupt regional trade, security, and investment.
Key Takeaways
- •Teodoro denounces China's criticism of Japan's Balikatan involvement.
- •He labels China's rhetoric hypocritical amid its own domestic repression.
- •China’s actions, not Japan’s, threaten regional stability, he asserts.
- •He cites Chinese interference in West Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia.
- •Teodoro highlights Chinese-linked crimes: substandard steel, trafficking, cyber attacks.
Summary
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro sharply rebuked Beijing for condemning Japan’s participation in the annual Balikatan joint exercises, calling the criticism a baseless double‑standard.
Teodoro dismissed China’s claim that Japan’s Type‑88 artillery poses a threat to peace, arguing that China’s own militarization, domestic repression, and historical revisionism are far more destabilizing. He pointed to Chinese actions in the West Philippine Sea, as well as interference in Vietnam and Indonesia, as evidence of aggressive behavior.
The secretary quoted, “China’s criticism is unheard; they care only about their own backyard,” and listed a litany of illicit activities linked to Chinese interests, including substandard steel exports, human‑trafficking networks, and cyber‑crime operations.
The exchange underscores rising Indo‑Pacific tensions, signalling Manila’s willingness to align more closely with Japan and the United States while warning that unchecked Chinese aggression could jeopardize regional security and economic stability.
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