Latest news with #GilbertoTeodoroJr.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Asean must come up with mechanism for Indo-Pacific security
The anxieties of the Indo-Pacific came into full view at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles demanded an explanation from China for what he called an "extraordinary military build-up". Later, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. branded China's conduct in the South China Sea as "absolutely irresponsible and reckless". The message they convey is deeply interconnected: the Indo-Pacific is on edge. Two key United States allies — one a resident power, the other a proximate neighbour to China — are openly expressing their strategic alarm. Australia's concerns are rooted in the opaque and accelerated nature of China's military modernisation. From aircraft carriers and hypersonic missiles to deepening cyber and space capabilities, China is not merely modernising — it is transforming the strategic equation of the Indo-Pacific. For Canberra, this raises fundamental questions: What are China's intentions? What security guarantees can regional states rely on when the regional balance of power is tilting so rapidly? As a staunch member of the Aukus partnership and a longtime US ally, Australia is not unfamiliar with military alliances. Yet, it seeks more than just deterrence. It wants reassurance, especially from Beijing that strategic competition will not descend into confrontation. In this sense, Marles' remarks are not hawkish, but rather reflective of a nation navigating uncertainty. And it is precisely this uncertainty that Asean, through the Asean Regional Forum and Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), must address. For the Philippines, the danger is not speculative. It is already confronting Chinese maritime coercion in the South China Sea. From water cannon attacks near Second Thomas Shoal to sonar interference in its exclusive economic zone, the Philippines is on the front line of China's maritime assertiveness. Teodoro's choice of words — "irresponsible" and "reckless" — is not mere diplomatic posturing. It reflects the lived reality of a Southeast Asian state struggling to assert its sovereignty amid an asymmetrical power contest. That said, Philippines and China must redouble efforts to co-exist: otherwise, Manila risks being sucked into the vortex of US politics, rendering the Philippines all but a surrogate of the US. The risk of escalation is real. Any miscalculation in these contested waters could quickly drag in external powers, especially with the US-Philippines Mutual Defence Treaty now more operational than symbolic. A localised maritime incident could rapidly spiral into a wider regional conflict. Both Canberra's demand for clarity and Manila's call for accountability point to a shared regional need: a trusted, neutral forum to manage tensions, build confidence and enforce norms. That forum is Asean. And it must act before others do. The Asean Regional Forum, long criticised for being a talk shop, must now institutionalise mechanisms that promote transparency in military modernisation. Asean can propose a Regional Military Transparency Registry, encouraging major players, including China, to voluntarily disclose exercises, deployments and strategic doctrines. This will not eliminate mistrust, but it can begin to manage it. The ADMM-Plus, which includes China, Australia, the US and all major Indo-Pacific actors, offers a more defence-oriented platform. Here, Asean should advocate for the establishment of an Incidents-at-Sea Protocol, modelled on Cold War-era US-Soviet agreements. Such a mechanism would allow real-time communication between naval forces during close encounters, thereby reducing the risk of unintended conflict. Additionally, Asean must press for the long-delayed Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to become legally binding. It is no longer enough to merely discuss principles. Enforcement mechanisms must follow. The Philippines' repeated confrontations with China show that vague promises are insufficient. Asean must also creatively utilise its middle powers — Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam — to initiate back-channel diplomacy to build trust among conflicting parties without the constraints of formal negotiation. In this context, Malaysia's current role as Asean chair and its tradition of non-alignment make it particularly suited to initiate such Track 2 dialogues. Australia's quest for strategic reassurance and the Philippines' demand for accountability reflect a larger regional cry for order, predictability and norms. Asean, by virtue of its geography and centrality in regional architecture, remains the best-positioned body to take up this task.
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Teodoro dismisses Chinese officers' ‘questions' as propaganda in public forum
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. rebutted questions posed by some Chinese military officials regarding the West Philippine Sea as 'propaganda' during a defense forum in Singapore. In Ivan Mayrina's Monday report on '24 Oras,' Teodoro made the statement at the Shangri-La Dialogue after a Chinese military official asked why the Philippines could not be like its neighboring countries, citing Malaysia and Vietnam, which engaged in dialogue on territorial issues and instead engaged in what he said were confrontations. 'Why can't the Philippines do the same? Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar (Ibrahim) mentioned he, otherwise, your President to engage dialogue and communication with… China. So, will the Philippines follow his advice and change his current approach to the South China Sea issue or that the Philippine intent to act as a proxy for external powers?' said Senior Colonel Qi Dapeng, a professor at the National Security College and National Defense University in China. 'The United States is sending more arms to this region and setting up more military bases in the Philippines. Are you concerned that a proxy war in Asia might be launched?" asked Senior Colonel Zhang Chi, an associate professor at the same school. In response, Teodoro said, 'Thank you for the propaganda spiels disguised as questions. Let us not forget that while we are members of (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations), we are sovereign countries, each with its own territorial integrity and sovereignty. And I'm sure that if what China is doing to the Philippines is done to Malaysia or to any ASEAN country, you would see a different reaction." Members of the audience applauded the defense secretary. 'I would like to reiterate that the Philippine position on the West Philippine Sea is not a function of Sino-American strategic rivalry. Instead, it is caused, no doubt, by the overreach of the Chinese Communist Party of which the most glaring evidence is the nine, 10 or 11-line that has absolutely no basis in international law,' Teodoro maintained, rebutting the Chinese narrative that the Philippines is the United States' proxy and lackey. The Filipino official stressed that trust is needed to engage in a dialogue with China with regards to the issues of the West Philippine Sea. No official high-ranking delegates from Beijing attended the defense forum. Instead, Teodoro accused Beijing of sending intelligence agents posing as journalists. Earlier, Teodoro and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. slammed a report by Chinese media that the AFP official avoided their questions, and called it propaganda. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Teodoro holds bilateral talks with Japan, Ukraine, Netherlands
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and the Netherlands' Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans discuss rules-based international order and exploring joint military activities, among others, during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 22nd Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore on Sunday, June 1, 2025. DND Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. held separate bilateral meetings with defense officials of Japan, Ukraine, and The Netherlands on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue over the weekend, the Department of National Defense (DND) said Monday. Teodoro Jr. attended the 22nd International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore from May 30 to June 1 to tackle security issues and defense ties with other nations. Japan Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Tokyo wants deeper involvement in joint drills with Manila like Balikatan and Kamandag upon the entry into force of the Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement. The two countries agreed on the importance of expanding cooperation in defense equipment production. To deter actions that undermine regional peace, Teodoro stressed the need for sustained bilateral and multilateral dialogues as he called for stronger alliances based on shared principles. Ukraine Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defence Oleksandr Kozenko thanked the Philippines for its support to Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity. A Ukrainian defense attaché will be assigned to Manila to develop bilateral defense ties, according to Kozenko. Teodoro said the Philippines wants to learn technological development from Ukraine, while Kozenko said Ukraine is also keen on learning maritime disaster response and post-trauma recovery from the Philippines. Both countries remain committed to international law. Ukraine vowed its adherence and strict compliance with the Geneva Conventions and openness to defense cooperation with the Philippines. The Netherlands Meanwhile, Teodoro expressed interest in learning from the Netherlands' best practices in defense governance. Dutch Minister of Defencs Ruben Brekelmans supported rules-based international order and expressed interest in exploring joint military activities with the Philippines. Teodoro and Brekelmans extended invitations for future visits, maintaining their intent to expand defense engagement and cooperation, according to the DND. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
PH, US reaffirm alliance in 'pursuit of peace' of Indo-Pacific region
The Philippines and the United States reaffirmed their alliance and commitment to stability in the Indo-Pacific region as the countries' defense chiefs met at the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. During the meeting, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, discussed deepening defense cooperation in support of regional peace, resilience, and a rules-based international order. 'The Philippines seeks peace, but it must be a sustainable peace—one grounded in our own resilience and reinforced through alliances with like-minded partners. We look forward to this meeting and to further strengthening our already robust defense relationship with the United States,' Teodoro said in a statement released on Saturday. Secretary Hegseth, meanwhile, committed to back the Philippines in its effort to push for stability in the region. "I want to applaud the Philippines for their courage and clarity in the South China Sea, and their clear-eyed recognition of the challenges we face. We stand shoulder to shoulder in our pursuit of peace and stability in the region,' Hegseth said. 'Our militaries exercised together in Balikatan in April—the largest in a long time with 14,000 troops. This speaks to the longstanding and ironclad relationship between our nations under the Mutual Defense Treaty,' Hegseth also said. Both secretaries also emphasized the importance of continuing defense cooperation in the face of evolving regional security dynamics. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
US, SEA defense ministers meet in Singapore
Defense ministers and senior officials from the United States and Southeast Asian nations met in Singapore on Friday ahead of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier security summit. In a press release, the Department of National Defense said the United States-Southeast Asia Defense Ministerial Meeting, which was attended by DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., focused on deepening defense cooperation and addressing shared security challenges in the Indo-Pacific, including maritime security, counterterrorism, cyber threats, and disaster response. Teodoro highlighted the significance of US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's presence in the meeting as he expressed optimism about strengthening ASEAN's Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the US, including deeper cooperation in maritime security, cyber and emerging technologies, and capacity-building initiatives. 'Sustained US leadership is crucial, especially for the smaller states of Southeast Asia,' Teodoro said. On June 1, the final day of the three-day Shangri-La Dialogue, Teodoro will give a speech at the Sixth Plenary Session on Cross-Regional Security Interlinkages. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News
