Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday asserted that it is the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), not the Philippine government, that is fueling Sinophobia.

“Hindi dapat natin idamay ang taumbayan ng China dito sa ginagawa ng diktadurya ng Chinese communist Party na nanira ng goodwill at anumang trust and confidence na dapat meron ang mga tao sa China dahil sa kanilang interest na manatili sa puder (We should not involve the people of China in what the dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party is doing, which has destroyed goodwill and any trust and confidence that people should have in China, all because of their interest in clinging to power),” Teodoro told reporters in an ambush interview in Mandaluyong City.

Teodoro criticized the Chinese government for accusing the Philippines of fueling anti-Chinese sentiment.

“I think, if ever there is Sinophobia, it is caused by the overreach of the Chinese Communist Party and [President] Xi Jinping, hindi lamang sa buong mundo kundi taumbayan nila mismo (Not only in the whole world, but also in their own country),” he said.

He stressed the huge disservice of the Chinese government in "causing distrust among its own people."

“They are communists and Leninists. That’s how the dictatorship of the Party is. ‘Yun ang importante sa kanila (That’s what important to them),” Teodoro said.

“I will say without hesitation that they are the main cause of Sinophobia.”

Teodoro also cited China’s National Intelligence Law enacted in 2017, which “mandates every Chinese national to be an intelligence operative of the Ministry of State Security.”

“I mean, eh sila ang pumako ng sarili nila sa krus (They were the ones who nailed themselves to the cross),” he said.

Earlier this month, the Chinese embassy in Manila claimed that Chinese citizens and businesses have been “frequently interrogated and harassed” by Philippine authorities and that security risks for Chinese nationals have risen.

It has also advised its citizens residing in the Philippines and those planning to visit the country to “strengthen security precautions and emergency preparedness.”

This advisory was issued following the arrest of Chinese nationals suspected of engaging in espionage near military camps in the Philippines.

Analysts cautioned that Philippine authorities may be using the recent crackdown on espionage and the ban on offshore gaming operations as a smokescreen to justify growing Sinophobic sentiments.

Teodoro had earlier emphasized the need to strengthen the country’s espionage laws to ensure that acts of spying committed during “times of peace” are properly penalized.