04/06/2026
Remarks of the Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines Ji Lingpeng on the Erroneous China-related Statements of Philippine Defense Secretary
Q: Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said at the Shangri-La Dialogue that though China has offered fertiliser and fuel to the Philippines, there isn’t any demonstration of good faith on a long-term basis. It is actually guileful, he added. No matter how China sugarcoats its assistance to the Philippines, it doesn’t cut the mustard, and it will not change the Philippines’ views on China. Teodoro also said that the Philippines is under severe threat territory-wise and politically too by China. Does the Embassy have any comment on this?
A: This is a typical case of biting the hand that feeds you. There’s a saying in the Philippines: “Kapag nakatawid na sa ilog, limot na ang tulay” — once you cross the river, you forget the bridge. That’s exactly the kind of person we’re talking about.
For years, China has provided real help to the Philippine people, including vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, fertilizer donations amid a global shortage, helping build major infrastructure projects, and offering immediate disaster relief whenever the Philippines was hit.
Despite China’s selfless support, Secretary Teodoro couldn’t even bring himself to say thank you. Instead, he called it “sugarcoat” and “guileful” — a real-life reenactment of “The Farmer and the Snake.”
Secretary Teodoro’s remarks show once again that he has no regard for the welfare of the Philippine people, no sense of gratitude — only his own personal gains. He’s even willing to turn people’s livelihoods into a political stunt, which seriously harms China-Philippines relations and mutual trust, and goes completely against the interests of the Philippines and its people.
Since the start of this year, thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, there have been hard-won signs of gradual easing in bilateral relations. But clearly, a handful of people aren’t happy about that. They can’t sit still, and are going out of their way to stir up trouble. The Philippine side has repeatedly said it wants to properly resolve differences with China and work toward a more stable and improved relationship. We hope the Philippine side will match its words with actions, and not allow certain individuals to repeatedly undermine efforts to keep relations on a steady track.
