The Chinese Embassy in Manila challenged Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro on Friday to produce proof supporting his “absurd” accusations that the embassy acted as a public relations (PR) firm covering up Chinese businessman Tony Yang and his alleged illegal activities in the Philippines. 

The challenge came a day after Teodoro bluntly accused the embassy of doing PR work for Yang, whom he alleged is its “client.”

Teodoro alleged this was made “obvious” by the embassy’s recent scathing statements against him and other Philippine authorities involved in the raid of a steel plant in Misamis Oriental purportedly owned by the businessman. 

The embassy fired back at Teodoro, demanding that he back up his accusations with solid evidence, as the absence of it would merely expose his remarks as “nothing more than defamation and instigation to mislead public opinion.” 

“PR firm for Tony Yang? No one at the Chinese Embassy even knows him. Any serious statement must be accurate and factual. A Cabinet secretary, in particular, should be above nonsense and defamation,” Chinese Embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng stressed.

Penchant for diversion?

Ji contended that Teodoro has a penchant for diverting the narrative when he “can’t win or even continue the arguments.” 

“Instead of addressing the legitimate concerns and questions we raised, Secretary Teodoro hurled some baseless and sensational allegations against the Chinese Embassy. A textbook example of squid tactics,” he stressed.

Teodoro joined the joint operations at Sanjia-Steel Corp in Tagoloan City, Misamis Oriental back in May, resulting in the arrest of 69 Chinese nationals.

The steel plant was allegedly linked to serious infractions, including producing substandard, radioactively tainted steel, dumping untreated wastewater, and releasing toxic fumes. 

The government subsequently shut down the Yang-run facility after allegedly discovering radioactive materials (uranium and thorium) in imported scrap metal, alongside immigration, labor, and environmental violations.

The embassy cried foul over the raid, calling it a selective and deliberate effort against Chinese nationals “while all the Filipino workers were released on the spot.” 

Moreover, the embassy questioned why Teodoro and the military were involved in the operations, although the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission said it needed logistical support from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The embassy accused Teodoro of staging “anti-China activities” for personal ambition. Still, Teodoro pushed back, calling the embassy’s retort a “squid tactic” to evade his accusations that it is intervening with enforcement operations to cover up the illicit activities of the Chinese nationals in the steel plant.