Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has labeled recent assertions by Chinese scholars regarding Batanes as 'absurd.' Speaking at the National West Philippine Sea Summit in Pasay City, he stated, 'It’s a joke. It’s ludicrous.'
Concerns Over China's Regional Ambitions
It also validates what we’ve been saying — that they have the plan to control the whole Pacific Ocean.
Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Secretary of National Defense
The comments come after a June 30 symposium at Jinan University in Guangzhou, where participants argued that the Philippines lacks historical or legal rights over Batanes.
Teodoro suggested that such claims reflect a broader strategy by Beijing to expand its influence in the Pacific region. He emphasized that the Philippines has a strong presence in Batanes and sees no immediate need for additional military deployments.
He warned that the claims could actually unite the Ivatan people against Chinese interests, saying, 'If there is strengthening of anti-China efforts, they have only themselves to blame.'
The symposium’s conclusions, while not officially endorsed by Chinese authorities, are viewed by some as part of a 'lawfare' strategy aimed at legitimizing territorial claims through academic discourse.