President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said China’s decision to sanction Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his family will only heighten tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), warning that it undermines efforts to manage the maritime dispute through dialogue.

Speaking during a Kapihan forum in Vancouver, Canada, Marcos said Beijing’s declaration of Teodoro, his wife, and son as persona non grata was within China’s prerogative but would do little to advance discussions on the territorial dispute.

“It does not move the discussion between the Philippines and China regarding the territorial conflicts that we have,” Marcos said.

“It raises the level of tension rather than lessens it. It does not make it easier, and it does not lessen the risk of a mistake or some kind of skirmish that could grow into something more.”

Last month, China barred Teodoro and his immediate family from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Marcos said the Philippines would continue to keep communication channels open with Beijing to prevent misunderstandings from escalating.

Existential

“And cutting off another line of communication, which is through our defense ministries, I do not see how it will help that process that we’re trying to achieve to manage the tensions in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

The President also underscored the need for the next administration to maintain the country’s position on the WPS and continue asserting the Philippines’ sovereign rights under the 2016 Arbitral Award despite China’s refusal to recognize the ruling.

“We really have to be consistent,” Marcos said, noting that countries such as Canada continue to support the Philippines’ reliance on international law and the rules-based international order.