The Chinese Embassy in Manila on Friday condemned recent comments made by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., accusing him of “arrogance, disrespect for truth, and ignorance of history” following his latest speech and media interview critical of China.

Teodoro reportedly criticized China’s domestic and foreign policies, including its handling of the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin and the high-profile commemoration in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

In response, the Chinese Embassy called out what it described as “anti-China remarks,” asserting that this was not the first time Teodoro had made such statements.

“His words showed nothing but his arrogance, disrespect for truth, and ignorance of history,” the Embassy told reporters in a Viber message.

It stressed that the commemorative events in Beijing were held to “remember history, honor fallen heroes, cherish peace, and create a better future.”

“Eighty years after the victory of WWII, while the historical trends of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit remain unchanged, the Cold War mentality, hegemonies and protectionism continue to haunt the world. New threats and challenges have been only increasing,” it added.

According to the Embassy, over 35 million Chinese were killed or wounded during the 14-year struggle against Japanese militarist forces, a war that China claims was pivotal in achieving global victory over fascism in World War II.

The Embassy also underscored that both China and the Philippines have historically been contributors to the postwar international order.

It also emphasized China’s role in global leadership and cooperation, particularly through its Global Governance Initiative (GGI), which was introduced at the SCO Summit.

“The world has found itself in a new period of turbulence and transformation. Global governance has come to a new crossroads,” it said.

“To this end, China proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) at the SCO Summit in Tianjin, looking forward to working with all countries for a more just and equitable global governance system and advancing toward a community with a shared future for humanity,” it added.

It further noted that the initiative is “a timely response to the hope of the people across the world” and was welcomed by numerous international leaders.

“To this end, China proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) at the SCO Summit in Tianjin, looking forward to working with all countries for a more just and equitable global governance system and advancing toward a community with a shared future for humanity,” it said.

The Embassy further claimed that more than 20 heads of state, including around 10 leaders from Southeast Asian countries, attended the twin events, praising China’s efforts for “upholding peace and advancing multilateral cooperation.”

“We hope that the Philippine Defense Secretary could view the world with open eyes, move beyond the Cold War mentality, and refrain from being the source of deficit of trust,” the statement concluded.

Tensions between Manila and Beijing continue to simmer amid ongoing maritime disputes and growing strategic alignments between the Philippines and its Western security partners.