China ‘biggest disruptor’ of peace in ASEAN – Gibo

DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr yesterday called China the “biggest disruptor” of peace in Southeast Asia amid rising Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea.

At the 35th International Military Law and Operations Conference at the Manila Hotel, Teodoro also said there is a need for the international community to “call out China for illegal acts” in the contested area.

Teodoro said the world should see China’s “duplicity.” He said it wants to be a “bridge of peace” in the Middle East, Africa and in other areas where there is conflict. “Yet, what are they doing in their backyard?” he said, referring to the South China Sea, specifically in the West Philippine Sea where China continue to harass Philippines vessels.

“That’s what the world should see,” he said.

“We should not allow China to define what ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) centrality means. We should get together in ASEAN and protect each other’s sovereign rights and sovereignty while settling our internal disputes between and amongst ourselves,” he added.

Teodoro said China is trying to break ASEAN apart but “…that, fortunately, will not happen because I believe firmly that our leaders realize that in this region, China — although without saying it and I’ll say it for you — is the biggest disruptor of international peace in the ASEAN region.”

Teodoro expressed doubt over whether real “cooperation” can be reached with China in connection with the territorial dispute.

“There can be no cooperation when one country wants to cooperate with you when it says that it has indisputable sovereignty and jurisdiction over the whole of the South China Sea.

What kind of cooperation will that be?” he said. “We cannot cooperate while forgetting jurisdiction on boundaries… You will be traitor to your country if you will agree that your jurisdiction is forgotten,”

CALLOUT

On what help the Philippines would need from the international community, Teodoro said,

“Simple, call out China for illegal acts.”

He said the callout should be sustained “until China kneels.”

Teodoro said a “stronger force (China) is illegally asserting itself against a less powerful one