MANILA – Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the Philippines should not dismiss China’s emerging narrative linking Batanes to Taiwan, describing it as a form of strategic signaling that warrants close attention despite appearing “ridiculous.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the National Peace Walk in Manila marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award, Teodoro said statements made by Chinese academics should be viewed in the context of China’s political system.

“This is signaling on their part. It’s good that it’s ridiculous, but maybe to their citizens it might not be because their citizens have no access to free information. So, we still have to take all these threats seriously,” he said.

Teodoro was referring to remarks by a Chinese academic claiming that Batanes historically belonged to Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory.

The claim has been rejected by Philippine officials and legal experts, including former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who challenged China to elevate the matter before an international tribunal if it believes it has a valid legal basis.

Teodoro said the government’s immediate concern is preventing any intrusion into Philippine territorial waters and the country’s exclusive economic zone surrounding Batanes.

“Let’s dissect this. It’s not an official statement, but in a closed society like China, with the 2017 National Security Law of China, any Chinese subject, any academic who makes a statement in China, it becomes a quasi-state statement,” he said.

The defense chief also urged Filipinos to remain alert not only to narratives originating from China but also to other activities that could affect the country’s national interests.

“So, hindi lang dapat tayo bumantay dito sa mga naratibo sa China kung hindi ang gawain ng kanilang mga ahente dito (We should not only watch China’s narratives but also the activities of their agents here),” he said.

Teodoro said the country’s defense preparations cover the entire Philippine archipelago, including the West Philippine Sea, the Pacific seaboard, and the Philippine Rise.

“Our preparations are for the whole Philippines, not only the West Philippine Sea,” Teodoro said, adding that efforts to strengthen the country’s deterrence capabilities are being accelerated.

He acknowledged that while the 2016 arbitral ruling may not stop China’s actions, it has weakened Beijing’s position in the international community and bolstered support for the Philippines’ claims.

“It will not deter China, which is determined. So, we have to resist China,” he said. “It has isolated and more discredited China’s claims.”

The Philippines secured the landmark arbitral ruling on July 12, 2016, with the tribunal declaring China’s sweeping “nine-dash line” claim in the South China Sea inconsistent with international law. Beijing has continued to reject the decision, although the ruling remains final and legally binding under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said defending the country’s maritime rights requires the participation of all Filipinos and not just the military.

“As we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award, we remember not only a milestone in international law, but also something even more important, our shared responsibility as Filipinos,” Brawner said.

“The award affirmed our lawful maritime rights. It reminded the world that disputes are not resolved by force, but by law,” he added.

Brawner said the Armed Forces remains committed to protecting Philippine sovereignty and upholding the rule of law but stressed that safeguarding the country’s maritime domain demands a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach.

“Protecting what belongs to us, to our nation, is a whole-of-government effort. More importantly, it is a whole-of-nation commitment,” he said.