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What is the story about?
Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr told China to "have some shame" after a note outlining Beijing's position on the South China Sea dispute was handed to him while he was speaking at an international defence forum in South Korea.
The incident took place on Tuesday, September 8, during the Seoul Defence Dialogue, where Teodoro was addressing delegates alongside other defence officials. A man approached the stage and placed a document on a table beside him while he answered questions.
South Korea's Yonhap News Agency and forum organisers said the note originated from a Chinese military attaché at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul. According to Yonhap, the attaché handed the document to an event staff member and instructed them to deliver it to Teodoro, but the staff member reportedly believed it had come from the Philippine delegation.
"I have a note here; I think this is from China. And may I read it?" Teodoro asked the audience before reading the message aloud.
The note reiterated Beijing's long-standing rejection of a 2016 international arbitration ruling on the South China Sea. It said China's position on the arbitration was "clear, consistent and firm" and argued that the ruling violated "fundamental principles of international law".
Teodoro questioned why such a message had been delivered while he was speaking and said the move showed disrespect for the forum organisers and the audience.
"How can you deal with a country in an international forum, beyond the question asked to me, disrespecting the organisers of this forum? How do you expect to deal with it civilly?" he said.
He said that if the note represented China's official position, it showed disregard for international law and basic diplomatic conduct.
"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 that should be accorded to our most gracious host, the Republic of Korea and the rest of the audience here," Teodoro said.
"This is not a grey zone anymore. This is actual coercion, bullying and aggression," he added, displaying the document to the audience.
Teodoro said he would keep the paper "as a memento" of what he described as China's ineffective position and later told Beijing to "have some shame" in Filipino.
The exchange comes against the backdrop of a long-running maritime dispute between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea, where tensions have intensified through repeated confrontations involving vessels from both countries.
What is the dispute about?
The Philippines and China have competing claims in the South China Sea, including waters and maritime features that fall within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. Manila refers to parts of the waters within its maritime jurisdiction as the West Philippine Sea.
A major point of contention stems from a case the Philippines filed against China under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS.
In 2016, an arbitral tribunal ruled in favour of the Philippines, rejecting China's expansive claims based on historic rights and finding that Beijing had no legal basis to claim resources within maritime zones falling inside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
China rejected the ruling and has continued to maintain that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction. Beijing does not recognise the arbitration award and has repeatedly accused the Philippines of violating its sovereignty in disputed waters.
Teodoro said China rejected the UNCLOS ruling after the arbitral tribunal ruled against Beijing.
Recent tensions
The dispute has led to several tense encounters at sea, with Manila and Beijing frequently accusing each other of violating sovereign and maritime rights.
In recent years, confrontations involving Philippine and Chinese coast guard and other vessels have become increasingly frequent around disputed areas, adding to concerns about the risk of escalation in the strategically important waterway.
The latest incident in Seoul also comes months after China imposed sanctions on Teodoro, accusing him of making statements that harmed bilateral relations and fuelled tensions over territorial issues.
China did not send a high-ranking government representative to the Seoul Defence Dialogue despite being invited, according to accounts of the incident.
The exchange underscored how the long-running South China Sea dispute continues to fuel diplomatic friction between Manila and Beijing, extending beyond confrontations at sea to international forums and public exchanges over sovereignty and international law.
South China Sea dispute
The exchange also comes against the backdrop of a long-running maritime dispute between Manila and Beijing over large parts of the South China Sea, a strategically important waterway rich in fishing grounds and believed to contain energy resources.
One key flashpoint is Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground that lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone but is also claimed by China. The area has been the site of repeated confrontations between the two countries, raising concerns that prolonged tensions could eventually escalate into an armed conflict.
The dispute intensified further last year after China approved the establishment of a national nature reserve covering Scarborough Shoal. Philippine security officials criticised the move, describing it as a potential "pretext for occupation".
At the heart of the broader dispute is China's expansive claim over much of the South China Sea, represented by its so-called "Nine-Dash Line". The Philippines challenged those claims through international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS.
In 2016, an arbitral tribunal in The Hague ruled that China had no legal basis for its claims to historic rights over resources within areas covered by the maritime zones established under UNCLOS. The tribunal also rejected key aspects of Beijing's claims in the South China Sea.
China rejected the ruling and has continued to refuse to recognise the tribunal's decision, maintaining that the arbitration process violated international law and that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction.
What is UNCLOS?
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, is an international treaty that sets out the legal framework governing the world's oceans and seas. Adopted in 1982 and entering into force in 1994, it establishes rules governing countries' rights and jurisdiction over maritime areas, the peaceful use of oceans and the management of marine resources.
UNCLOS also provides a framework for resolving maritime disputes and competing territorial claims, making it central to the long-running South China Sea dispute between the Philippines and China.
The incident took place on Tuesday, September 8, during the Seoul Defence Dialogue, where Teodoro was addressing delegates alongside other defence officials. A man approached the stage and placed a document on a table beside him while he answered questions.
South Korea's Yonhap News Agency and forum organisers said the note originated from a Chinese military attaché at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul. According to Yonhap, the attaché handed the document to an event staff member and instructed them to deliver it to Teodoro, but the staff member reportedly believed it had come from the Philippine delegation.
"I have a note here; I think this is from China. And may I read it?" Teodoro asked the audience before reading the message aloud.
The note reiterated Beijing's long-standing rejection of a 2016 international arbitration ruling on the South China Sea. It said China's position on the arbitration was "clear, consistent and firm" and argued that the ruling violated "fundamental principles of international law".
Teodoro questioned why such a message had been delivered while he was speaking and said the move showed disrespect for the forum organisers and the audience.
"How can you deal with a country in an international forum, beyond the question asked to me, disrespecting the organisers of this forum? How do you expect to deal with it civilly?" he said.
He said that if the note represented China's official position, it showed disregard for international law and basic diplomatic conduct.
"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 that should be accorded to our most gracious host, the Republic of Korea and the rest of the audience here," Teodoro said.
"This is not a grey zone anymore. This is actual coercion, bullying and aggression," he added, displaying the document to the audience.
Teodoro said he would keep the paper "as a memento" of what he described as China's ineffective position and later told Beijing to "have some shame" in Filipino.
The exchange comes against the backdrop of a long-running maritime dispute between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea, where tensions have intensified through repeated confrontations involving vessels from both countries.
What is the dispute about?
The Philippines and China have competing claims in the South China Sea, including waters and maritime features that fall within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. Manila refers to parts of the waters within its maritime jurisdiction as the West Philippine Sea.
A major point of contention stems from a case the Philippines filed against China under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS.
In 2016, an arbitral tribunal ruled in favour of the Philippines, rejecting China's expansive claims based on historic rights and finding that Beijing had no legal basis to claim resources within maritime zones falling inside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
China rejected the ruling and has continued to maintain that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction. Beijing does not recognise the arbitration award and has repeatedly accused the Philippines of violating its sovereignty in disputed waters.
Teodoro said China rejected the UNCLOS ruling after the arbitral tribunal ruled against Beijing.
Recent tensions
The dispute has led to several tense encounters at sea, with Manila and Beijing frequently accusing each other of violating sovereign and maritime rights.
In recent years, confrontations involving Philippine and Chinese coast guard and other vessels have become increasingly frequent around disputed areas, adding to concerns about the risk of escalation in the strategically important waterway.
The latest incident in Seoul also comes months after China imposed sanctions on Teodoro, accusing him of making statements that harmed bilateral relations and fuelled tensions over territorial issues.
China did not send a high-ranking government representative to the Seoul Defence Dialogue despite being invited, according to accounts of the incident.
The exchange underscored how the long-running South China Sea dispute continues to fuel diplomatic friction between Manila and Beijing, extending beyond confrontations at sea to international forums and public exchanges over sovereignty and international law.
South China Sea dispute
The exchange also comes against the backdrop of a long-running maritime dispute between Manila and Beijing over large parts of the South China Sea, a strategically important waterway rich in fishing grounds and believed to contain energy resources.
One key flashpoint is Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground that lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone but is also claimed by China. The area has been the site of repeated confrontations between the two countries, raising concerns that prolonged tensions could eventually escalate into an armed conflict.
The dispute intensified further last year after China approved the establishment of a national nature reserve covering Scarborough Shoal. Philippine security officials criticised the move, describing it as a potential "pretext for occupation".
At the heart of the broader dispute is China's expansive claim over much of the South China Sea, represented by its so-called "Nine-Dash Line". The Philippines challenged those claims through international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS.
In 2016, an arbitral tribunal in The Hague ruled that China had no legal basis for its claims to historic rights over resources within areas covered by the maritime zones established under UNCLOS. The tribunal also rejected key aspects of Beijing's claims in the South China Sea.
China rejected the ruling and has continued to refuse to recognise the tribunal's decision, maintaining that the arbitration process violated international law and that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction.
What is UNCLOS?
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, is an international treaty that sets out the legal framework governing the world's oceans and seas. Adopted in 1982 and entering into force in 1994, it establishes rules governing countries' rights and jurisdiction over maritime areas, the peaceful use of oceans and the management of marine resources.
UNCLOS also provides a framework for resolving maritime disputes and competing territorial claims, making it central to the long-running South China Sea dispute between the Philippines and China.
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