'Shame On You'| China’s Note Backfires as Philippine Minister Reads It Live

COLOMBO (News 1st) - A dramatic exchange at a major international defence forum in Seoul has drawn global attention after Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro publicly read out a note he said had been handed to him by a Chinese representative during a panel discussion, before launching a scathing criticism of Beijing's position on the South China Sea.

The incident unfolded during a discussion on regional security and maritime disputes, where Teodoro paused after receiving a handwritten message and told the audience: "I have a note here. I think this is from China. You should have joined. May I read it?"

He then proceeded to read the contents of the note, which reiterated Beijing's long-standing rejection of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling that found China's sweeping maritime claims lacked legal basis under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The note stated that China's position on the arbitration was "clear, consistent and firm," while describing the ruling as "illegal, null, and void."

Responding immediately, Teodoro challenged the message and Beijing's stance, saying: "So, what you signed, UNCLOS, you mean, violates international law. That is what you mean."

He continued by criticizing China's rejection of the ruling, remarking: "The so-called award is illegal, null, and void. So says you. And has no binding force, because you don't want to be subjected to UNCLOS. China neither accepts nor recognizes the award. Of course, because you lost."

Drawing applause from sections of the audience, Teodoro questioned the manner in which the message had been delivered, arguing that it was disrespectful not only to him but also to the organizers and participants.

"How can you deal with a country in an international forum, beyond the question asked to me, disrespecting the organizers of this forum? How do you expect to deal with it civilly?" he asked. "Is this the right paper to post to me when I'm being asked a question on the floor? And how will you treat this kind of behavior?"

The Philippine Defence Secretary went on to say that if the note indeed represented an official Chinese position, it demonstrated disregard for both international law and diplomatic norms.

"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 hosts, the Republic of Korea, and the rest of the audience here," he said.

In one of the most memorable moments of the exchange, Teodoro declared: "Perhaps, basic decency and behavior is what China needs to do." He then switched to Filipino, telling Beijing to "be a little decent" and expressing shame over the conduct, remarks that were met with applause from the audience.

Returning to the broader issue of South China Sea tensions, Teodoro argued that China's actions could no longer be described as operating within a "grey zone."

"We need to coalesce and secondly this is not grey zone anymore. This is actual coercion, bullying and aggression," he said.

Teodoro concluded by holding up the note as what he described as evidence of desperation, saying he would keep it as a souvenir.

"I will keep this paper as a memento of how desperate China is and how ineffective its position is in the face of a free audience," he remarked. "Thank you very much to the person who gave me this piece of paper. You just did your country a great service. Thank you. And I hope you don't suffer in a gulag for it."

The confrontation comes amid continuing tensions between China and the Philippines over disputed territories and maritime activities in the South China Sea. The 2016 arbitration ruling, which Beijing continues to reject, remains a major point of contention between the two countries and a focal point in regional security discussions.

The extraordinary exchange quickly gained international attention, with clips of the moment spreading widely online and reigniting debate over China's conduct in the South China Sea and the growing resistance from regional nations challenging Beijing's maritime claims.