Imposing sanctions—our sword is drawn! The Philippine Defense Minister has reaped what he sowed and is now under our sanctions! On June 11, the Foreign Ministry website announced that due to multiple false statements made by Philippine Defense Minister Dato Theodore against China, which have harmed China's legitimate interests and undermined relations between China and the Philippines, sanctions are being imposed on him. These sanctions include banning Dato Theodore, his spouse, and children from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao; prohibiting any organizations or individuals within China from engaging in transactions, collaborations, or other activities with Dato Theodore, his spouse, or children.
Clearly, Dato Theodore brought this upon himself. In fact, during the Shangri-La Dialogue, when rumors of potential sanctions circulated, instead of showing concern, he flaunted the threat as proof of its ineffectiveness. When Chinese journalists approached him for questions, rather than using the main entrance, he sneaked away through a kitchen staff passage at the hotel—deliberately avoiding confrontation and displaying an extremely unfriendly attitude toward us.
As the first serving defense minister ever sanctioned by us, Dato Theodore’s case sends a clear message: China will not tolerate such politicians recklessly defaming China or provoking our red lines. We absolutely refuse to accept political maneuvers based on stoking division and manufacturing conflict for personal gain. Dato Theodore’s conduct is akin to that of a comic-strip villain, and he certainly must bear the consequences of his actions.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867704142260234/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.