China sanctions Philippines defense chief, family

China Thursday sanctioned Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his immediate family, accusing him of making remarks that harmed China's interests and bilateral relations.

In a statement, China's Foreign Ministry said Teodoro had "repeatedly made irresponsible remarks on China" that undermined Beijing's legitimate interests and “sabotaged” China-Philippines ties.

Under the sanctions, Teodoro, his spouse and child are barred from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao.

Chinese organizations and individuals are also prohibited from engaging in transactions, cooperation or other activities with them, according to the ministry.

The announcement came days after Teodoro sharply criticized China during the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum held in Singapore.

The Philippine defense chief accused Beijing of seizing territory in the disputed South China Sea and repressing its own people during a tense exchange with Chinese military representatives.

During a panel discussion, two senior officers from the Chinese People's Liberation Army questioned whether the Philippines would act as a proxy for the US in Asia or pursue a more cooperative relationship with China.

Teodoro rejected the characterization and defended Manila's security partnerships.

The Philippines is one of the oldest allies of the US in the wider Asia-Pacific region.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning strongly reacted to Teodoro’s remarks in Singapore and said he “repeatedly made fallacious remarks” about China, which she claimed have severely undermined China-Philippines relations and mutual trust, adding that his statements run counter to the interests of the Filipino people.

Neither Teodoro nor the Philippine government immediately responded to China's latest sanctions announcement.

Relations between Beijing and Manila have deteriorated in recent years amid increasingly frequent confrontations in the South China Sea, where the two countries have overlapping territorial claims and have accused each other of provocative actions around disputed reefs and shoals.