The Department of National Defense (DND) on Saturday dismissed Beijing’s recent condemnation of Manila’s joint military exercises with its defense partners, calling China’s accusations “a classic case of projection.”

DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong criticized China for labeling the country’s lawful defense drills in the West Philippine Sea as provocations. 

“Their words do not reflect the reality in the West Philippine Sea and the broader South China Sea,” Andolong said. “The truth of the matter is that China is the real threat to regional stability.”

Andolong accused China of misrepresenting facts and “inventing history,” asserting that Manila’s military activities are a measured response to China’s assertive actions in disputed waters.

He added that the Philippines will not tolerate what he described as “blackmailing by those who provoke first and then play the victim.”

Highlighting Beijing’s own rhetoric, Andolong referenced Chinese President Xi Jinping’s call to “resist unilateral bullying, oppose protectionism… and prevent the world from returning to the law of the jungle,” saying the Philippines’ indigenous populations embody a stronger adherence to law and order than China.

The DND reaffirmed Manila’s commitment to asserting its national interests in the West Philippine Sea and upholding the international rules-based order, and that joint exercises with allied nations will continue despite China’s objections.

Earlier this week, China condemned the Philippines-led multilateral maritime cooperative activity near Scarborough Shoal in the WPS, a portion of the South China Sea (SCS) being vastly and illegally claimed by Beijing. 

The People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theater Command also criticized the Philippines for organizing joint naval exercises with the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, claiming the drills undermine regional peace and stability.

Spokesperson Tian Junli labeled Manila a “troublemaker” for hosting the MMCA in the SCS.