China accuses Philippines of setting up ‘obstacles’ to attending Asean defence meeting

China has accused the Philippines of setting up “numerous obstacles” to attending a meeting with defence ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and of violating “basic diplomatic protocols”.

The row, which follows years of tension over the two countries’ competing claims to the South China Sea, saw Beijing sending its defence attache to the meeting in Lapu-Lapu in the Philippines – the lowest-ranking Chinese representative at the event since it was first held in 2010.

“The Philippines has allowed certain politicians to act recklessly and abuse public power for personal agendas, erecting numerous obstacles to hinder China’s participation,” Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesman for the defence ministry, said on Thursday.

He did not name the politicians he was targeting for criticism.

He added that Manila had “severely undermined the Asean principle of consensus, flagrantly violated the spirit of openness and inclusivity inherent to the ADMM-Plus [Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus], disregarded basic diplomatic protocols, and infringed upon China’s legitimate rights as a member of the mechanism”.

He added that Manila was “holding Asean hostage and stirring up trouble,” adding China’s decision to send representation underscored its “firm support for Asean centrality and a responsible approach towards regional security cooperation”.

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr rejected the accusations and said that other member states did not share Beijing’s assessment.

“It is China’s position; it is not Asean’s position,” Teodoro told reporters at the meeting. “They were given an opportunity to articulate their position, which is not any different from what they have been articulating before.”

According to local media reports, Teodoro did not personally welcome the Chinese delegation. Instead, defence undersecretary Ignacio Madriaga met Senior Captain Yang Lei, the Chinese defence attache, while Teodoro personally greeted other visiting delegations, according to media reports.

During the gathering, Manila and its security partners focused on the South China Sea dispute and discussed measures to reinforce alliances in an implicit pushback against Beijing.

Without explicitly naming China during his formal opening remarks, Teodoro urged participating nations to reject the threat or use of force and uphold international law.

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“Asean member states and dialogue partners share the same principles: respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, the peaceful settlement of disputes and the renunciation of the threat or use of force,” Teodoro said.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the United States and Japan announced an agreement to establish a joint production facility in Japan for advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles.