Philippines Defense Secretary: No Point In Talking About Territorial Claims If China Doesn’t Respect International Rules

Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. Image via Philippines Department of National Defense.

The Philippines’ defense secretary struck a pessimistic tone about territorial discussions with China, saying they were futile unless Beijing was willing to be more sincere and respect a rules-based order.

“If there are going to be bilateral discussions, it must be based on fundamental principles and it must be based on sincerity, that it shall not be used merely as a weapon in order to constrain the Philippines,” Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said on Monday.

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by Han Zhen

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