Philippines rejects China’s calls for direct contact amid ‘miscalculation’ warnings

The Chinese embassy in Manila had called for such channels to reopen in a Facebook post on Monday, arguing that communication was essential to prevent misunderstandings and keep tensions from escalating.

“Everyone knows that no matter how difficult bilateral relations become, communication channels should remain open to avoid miscalculation and prevent tensions from escalating,” it said.

The embassy accused Teodoro of suspending military-to-military communication for what it called “political self-interest”, saying such a move “fuels mistrust, narrows the space for crisis management, and pushes frontline personnel closer to confrontation”.

The Philippine Department of National Defence (DND) responded on Tuesday by reposting a 2024 statement from Teodoro, in which he said he had barred contact between the department and the Chinese embassy since July 2023.

The statement followed the embassy’s claim that the armed forces’ Western Command had agreed with China on a “new model” for managing the situation at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, including arrangements for resupply missions. The embassy said Teodoro and other key Philippine officials had approved the arrangement.

Teodoro denied the DND was involved in any such deal, saying there was no discussion of a “gentleman’s agreement” or a “new model” during a courtesy call by then Chinese ambassador Huang Xilian shortly after Teodoro took office.

“I reiterate that I have disallowed any contact between the DND and the Chinese embassy since the courtesy call of Ambassador Huang Xilian, a few days after I assumed office in July of last year,” Teodoro said in the statement.

“During the said courtesy call, there was no discussion or briefing on any ‘gentleman’s agreement’ or ‘new model’, which is contrary to the Chinese embassy’s pronouncements.”

Trinidad said the military supported suspending direct communication channels because dialogue could not be effective without trust and respect for international law.

“Bilateral dialogue will be effective if the messages match the actions on sea, air, and ground. Unfortunately, this has not been the case,” he said.

He rejected the suggestion that the absence of direct communication could increase the risk of miscalculation and further escalate tensions.

“The miscalculations happen when you are not following international regulations and international law,” he said, referring to incidents involving Chinese vessels that the Philippines says have entered waters it claims and attempted to prevent resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre.

The ageing warship, grounded at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, serves as a Philippine military outpost on the disputed maritime feature.

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Trinidad said the Philippine navy and coastguard had the legal right to challenge the presence of Chinese vessels in waters claimed by Manila, arguing that such encounters served as warnings to the ships involved.

“So, don’t take it literally that they are not being warned, they are not being challenged,” he said.

He maintained that China’s “coercive and aggressive actions”, rather than the absence of a direct communication channel, were the main source of miscalculation.

The dispute over maritime activities in the South China Sea is rooted in competing claims and sharply different interpretations of international law.

In 2016, an arbitral tribunal established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ruled that China’s historic-rights claims within the nine-dash line had no legal basis insofar as they exceeded the maritime entitlements permitted under the convention.

Beijing rejected the ruling, arguing that the tribunal had no jurisdiction and that the award was null and void. The ruling did not determine sovereignty over all disputed islands and reefs.

Competing accounts

The evacuation of a Philippine marine from the BRP Sierra Madre on October 8, after he suffered a medical emergency involving a nearly ruptured appendix, became the latest flashpoint in the disputed waters, with Manila and Beijing offering different accounts of how the operation unfolded.

Navy Captain Marissa Andres-Martinez said the Philippines would not seek China’s permission to conduct maritime operations in waters it claimed.

“Nothing was communicated to the Chinese coastguard,” she said of Manila’s response to the emergency.

Andres-Martinez said the navy would continue operations to sustain the soldiers aboard the vessel without seeking China’s permission.

The armed forces’ public affairs chief Colonel Xerxes Trinidad said other seafarers should also recognise the urgency of medical evacuations.

“The moment you call for a medical evacuation, it is something of concern that all. I think, a proper Navy or any seafarer would do to give way to that.”

His remarks came amid Philippine Coast Guard accusations that Chinese vessels had used water cannons against Philippine ships responding to the medical emergency.

China offered a different account of the incident.

On Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the Philippine coastguard had “intruded the adjacent waters of Ren’ai Jiao, Nansha Qundao of China”, referring to Beijing’s names for Second Thomas Shoal and the Spratly Islands.

“The China Coast Guard took legitimate and reasonable measures to handle the situation in accordance with laws and regulations,” Mao said.

China had allowed the evacuation on humanitarian grounds after communication between the two sides but “individual Philippine officials have distorted facts and wrongfully accused China without showing the whole picture to the public”, Mao added.

The Chinese embassy in Manila on Monday urged the Philippines to tow away the “illegally grounded” warship and evacuate its personnel to end their exposure to risk.

On the same day as the medical evacuation, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr called for a binding code of conduct in the South China Sea during a speech at the 24th Forbes Global CEO Conference in Singapore.

Marcos said an agreement between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was “absolutely necessary” to reduce the risk of further confrontations.