China said it sent its defense attaché, rather than Defense Minister Dong Jun, to this year’s ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu because of what it described as obstacles to its participation under the Philippine chairmanship.
Responding to questions on Dong’s absence from the 13th ADMM-Plus, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said the regional security forum remains the Asia-Pacific’s highest-level and largest defense and security dialogue mechanism, serving as a platform for confidence-building, cooperation, and regional stability.
However, Zhang alleged that the Philippine side, as this year’s rotating chair, had allowed ‘a certain self-serving politician’ to ‘act recklessly’ and abuse the chairmanship by creating ‘obstacles’ to China’s participation in the mechanism.
‘The moves seriously violate ASEAN’s principle of consensus through consultation and run counter to the open and inclusive spirit of the ADMM-Plus,’ Zhang said. He added that the actions did not conform to diplomatic protocols and undermined China’s rights as a member of the mechanism.
Zhang also claimed that a number of ASEAN member states had raised questions and expressed opposition to the alleged actions.
The Chinese official did not identify the politician he was referring to.
However, the Philippines is chairing this year’s ADMM-Plus activities through Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., who presided over the meeting and has been among the Philippine government’s most outspoken critics of Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea.
Teodoro has repeatedly condemned what Manila describes as dangerous actions by Chinese vessels against Philippine ships operating in the West Philippine Sea and has rejected China’s expansive maritime claims.
In June 2024, Beijing imposed sanctions on Teodoro, accusing him of making remarks and taking actions that it said undermined China-Philippines relations. The sanctions bar him from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.
While Zhang stopped short of naming Teodoro, his remarks drew attention because of China’s earlier sanctions against the Philippine defense chief and his role as chair of this year’s ADMM-Plus proceedings.
At the press conference after the ADM-Plus Meeting, Teodoro said was asked to comment on the allegations by the Chinese defense ministry.
Teodoro said the Chinese defense attache was given an opportunity to articulate the position of Beijing on issues related to regional security including the South China Sea.
‘No country has the right to characterize ASEAN processes except ASEAN member-countries. They are dialogue partners. As much as we would like to accommodate them is subject to certain rules and limitations.
‘The important fact is that they were able to articulate their positions about maritime security with a little additions. Nonetheles, we allowed the exchange of views to be robust. I think that was the important thing – the opportunity to be heard. How they are going to be heard is for the ASEAN proper to determine, and not anybody else,’ Teodoro said.
The ADMM-Plus brings together the 10 ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States, to discuss regional security issues and defense cooperation.