Beijing and Manila clashed over the detention of Chinese workers in the Philippines
The Philippine Department of Defense has rejected criticism from the Chinese Embassy regarding the department head, Gilberto Teodoro Jr.'s, involvement in the detention of Chinese workers at a steel mill in Misamis Oriental province. The dispute comes amid tense relations between Beijing and Manila over the South China Sea, according to the South China Morning Post.
In May, Teodoro ordered the armed forces to detain 70 Chinese citizens at the Sanjia Steel Corporation facility, who were believed to be lacking proper documentation. Beijing lodged an official protest, and consular officials visited the detainees. According to the Chinese embassy, all Chinese citizens were subsequently released.
Chinese Embassy spokesperson Ji Linpeng questioned why the defense minister had intervened in a law enforcement operation and accused Teodoro of engaging in anti-China activities aimed at undermining bilateral relations. The Philippine Department of Defense responded by stating that the embassy’s position did not address the minister’s allegations, calling it an evasion of the issue at hand.
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Prior to this, Teodoro wrote on social media that Chinese workers, according to him, were engaged in illegal activities, and accused Chinese officials of interfering in the work of Philippine law enforcement agencies. The Chinese Embassy rejected these claims, stating that protecting the safety and legal rights of its citizens is the primary duty of a diplomatic mission.
Teodoro made these statements after Beijing announced measures against more than 100 Filipinos for allegedly working or residing in China illegally. The Philippine minister called these actions extortion and blackmail. Beijing insisted that immigration authorities acted in accordance with the law and did not target any specific country.
In June, China imposed sanctions against Teodoro and his immediate family members, barring them from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, and prohibiting Chinese entities from doing business with them. At the same time, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated his intention to expand economic cooperation with China and reported progress in negotiations on joint oil and gas exploration.
