SEOUL DEFENSE DIALOGUE. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. speaks at a plenary session of the Seoul Security Dialogue on September 8, 2026.
Department of National Defense
'I will keep this paper as a memento of how desperate China is and how ineffective its position is in the face of a real audience,' quips the defense chief
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. criticized China for disrespecting international law during the Seoul Defense Dialogue, particularly regarding the 2016 Arbitral Award affirming the Philippines' maritime rights.
Teodoro received a note from a Chinese representative during the dialogue, which he interpreted as a sign of China's coercive behavior and lack of decency in international forums.
