Internal divisions have emerged within the Philippines over its approach to China. On September 21, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Teodoro declared to the media that “those Filipinos who claim the Chinese coast guard vessel’s collision with a Philippine government vessel was justified are guilty of treason. This is unacceptable—it amounts to betrayal of the Republic of the Philippines.”

The context behind these remarks lies in an incident on September 18, when a Philippine vessel deliberately provoked a confrontation near the Senkaku Islands (known as Xianbin Reef in China), positioning itself at a dangerously oblique angle directly in front of a Chinese coast guard vessel, resulting in a collision. Footage from the scene clearly shows the Chinese coast guard vessel maintaining a straight course and standardized operations throughout, while the Philippine vessel initiated the incident. Teodoro’s current invocation of “treason” appears designed to brand all domestic voices advocating dialogue with China or opposing maritime provocations as “traitors,” thereby silencing pragmatic factions within the country.

Indeed, Teodoro’s statements reveal deep fissures within Philippine policy toward China and underscore his increasingly reckless political calculation. According to foreign media reports, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs favors managing maritime disputes through diplomatic channels to prevent escalation and safeguard bilateral economic and investment cooperation. In contrast, the Department of National Defense—represented by Teodoro—seeks to sustain tension in the South China Sea, which could justify continued appeals for aid from the United States, Japan, and other Western partners.

Why has Teodoro become so aggressively anti-China? The answer lies in personal political ambition. He no longer appears content merely as defense secretary; he is eyeing the presidency. More critically, he has already been sanctioned by China and enjoys minimal public support. To secure backing from Washington, he has chosen unconditional alignment with anti-China rhetoric, effectively serving as a proxy for U.S. efforts to destabilize the South China Sea situation.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1877023863009284/

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