The Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday slammed Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. for his alleged “unwarranted accusations” against Beijing and its leaders.

In a Viber message to reporters, the embassy rejected Teodoro’s criticism, labeling them as “ideologically biased” and stuck in a “Cold War” mindset.

“China is a country under the rule of law. We treat defendants of different nationalities as equals and handle cases justly in strict accordance with the law,” the embassy said. 

In his media interview in Palawan earlier this week, Teodoro lambasted China’s exploitation of sites near Philippine waters and highlighted the arrest of Chinese nationals involved in illegal activities, such as gambling and running illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.

He also criticized Chinese President Xi Jinping’s excessiveness, which he claimed undermines “the leadership of his party in China and the goodwill established by his predecessors.”

Teodoro also lamented Xi's harmful policies that could destabilize Beijing's internal stability and damage its relations with other nations. 

In response, the embassy criticized Teodoro for making “politically motivated accusations.”

“The Philippine Defense Secretary’s unwarranted accusations against China, as well as his malicious attacks on the Communist Party of China and Chinese leaders, are filled with ideological bias and Cold War thinking,” it stressed. 

“We firmly oppose and strongly condemn such remarks,” it added. 

The embassy also urged Philippine authorities to stop making provocative statements about China. 

“Our message is clear: stop making irresponsible statements about China and no more stunt for personal political agenda,” it said.