Philippines defence chief gets China note mid-speech. Here's what he did next

Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto C Teodoro was handed a note from a Chinese attaché while speaking at a defence forum in Seoul and read it aloud. He used the interruption to condemn Beijing's conduct and restate Manila's position on the South China Sea dispute.

In Short

• A Chinese attaché's note reached Teodoro during remarks at Seoul dialogue
• He read it aloud, citing Beijing's rejection of 2016 arbitration
• Teodoro said the delivery disrespected hosts, delegates and forum decorum

Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto C Teodoro publicly bashed China after he was handed a note outlining Beijing's position on the South China Sea while he was speaking at a defence forum in South Korea. The unexpected move prompted Teodoro to question China's motive and accuse Beijing of "coercion, bullying and aggression".

In a video that went viral, a man wearing a white sports coat is seen approaching Teodoro from behind and placing a sheet of paper on the table beside him at the Seoul Defence Dialogue. According to forum organisers, the note came from a Chinese military attache with the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

The attache handed the slip to a staff member and asked that it be passed on to Teodoro. The staff member mistook it for a message from Teodoro's own delegation and delivered it to him while he was speaking, according to Yonhap.

Teodoro paused his remarks, picked up the note and told the audience, "I have a note here, I think this is from China. And may I read it?"

He then read the contents aloud. The note said China's position on the South China Sea arbitration was "clear, consistent and firm" and that the 2016 arbitration violated "fundamental principles of international law".

The note appeared to refer to the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The tribunal rejected China's expansive claims to historic rights in the South China Sea and found that there was no legal basis for Beijing to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. China has consistently rejected the arbitration ruling and maintained that the tribunal had no jurisdiction over the dispute.

TEODORO PUBLICLY CALLS OUT CHINA

After reading the note, Teodoro questioned why such a message had been delivered to him while he was addressing the forum. "How can you deal with a country in an international forum -- beyond the question asked to me -- disrespecting the organisers of this forum. How do you expect to deal with it civilly?" he asked.

He said the manner in which the note was delivered was disrespectful not only to him but also to South Korea, which hosted the event, and the other participants.

"If this is a Chinese position sent to me, it not only disrespects international law, throwing UNCLOS to the floor and trampling upon it, but it also disrespects the basic decency accorded that should be accorded to our most gracious host, the Republic of Korea and the rest of the audience here," Teodoro said.

Teodoro then accused China of coercion and aggression. "So, perhaps basic decency and behaviour is what China needs to do. This is actual coercion, bullying and aggression," he said.

The defence chief added, "I will keep this paper as a memento of how desperate China is and how ineffective its position is in the face of a free audience."

He later turned to the person who had delivered the note and added a sarcastic jab, "You've just done your country a great service. Thank you, and I hope you don't suffer in a gulag for it."

ON SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE

Teodoro used the incident to highlight the Philippines's broader dispute with China in the South China Sea.

"I think it is well known to the public, to everyone here, about the Philippine situation where we face challenges daily from the People's Republic of China which tries to occupy and illegally assert its presence over our territory and especially our exclusive economic zone," he said.

He said the Philippines had been forced to develop defence arrangements and alliances because of the challenges it faces.

"We live in a very interconnected world, and there is no right for any state of that matter to appropriate an international common for its exclusive use or right, contrary to what the international norms clearly state," Teodoro said.

The South China Sea has remained a major source of tension between Manila and Beijing, with both countries repeatedly accusing each other of violating their rights in disputed waters. The Philippines has relied on the 2016 arbitration ruling to challenge China's claims, while Beijing continues to reject the decision.

- Ends