The Department of National Defense has refuted claims from the Chinese Embassy regarding a supposed “new model” between the Philippines and China. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. stated that the DND was not involved in any deal that would justify the presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea. Teodoro called the embassy’s statements a “charade” and emphasized that the DND had no knowledge of any “new model.”
The Chinese Embassy had announced that Beijing and Manila had agreed on a “gentlemen’s agreement” or a “new model” to deescalate tensions in the South China Sea. However, Teodoro clarified that there was no such agreement approved by the DND or any key Philippine officials. He also mentioned that all contact between the DND and the Chinese Embassy had been prohibited since July 2023.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año also dismissed the Chinese embassy’s claims as “absolutely absurd.” He criticized the timing of the announcement, suggesting it was meant to distract from the deteriorating marine life in the West Philippine Sea, specifically in Sandy Cay. A study by scientists from the University of the Philippines found that the marine life in the area was in a degraded state, possibly due to China’s island-building activities. Año described the embassy’s actions as a “pathetic desperation” to deflect attention from the environmental issues in the region.
