Disinformation part of China ‘playbook’ – defense chief

DND Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, October 18, 2023. | PHOTO: INQUIRER.net / Arnel Tacson

The Philippines feels insulted but not surprised by China’s false narratives about the dispute in the West Philippine Sea, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said on Wednesday.

“We are not alarmed. That is expected of China,” Teodoro said at the Bagong Pilipinas briefing aired on state-run PTV 4. “Disinformation and information operations are in the playbook of China naturally and so, we are countering the narratives of information operation, such as this, such as me explaining to our countrymen why they should not believe in China’s narrative,” he added.

Teodoro criticized Beijing, particularly for saying that the Philippines had been a puppet of the United States, its longtime security ally. Beijing has accused Washington of using Manila to expand its interest in the South China Sea as well as the Asia-Pacific region.

“What China is saying, the favorite Chinese narratives is that, this is all a play of the United States and that we are just marionettes or puppets of the Americans who follow their playbook,” Teodoro said, adding: “This is insulting to Filipinos.”

According to the defense chief, China has assumed that “we have no ability to think for ourselves and to stand up for our own rights.”

Operators

“And I think, this is really looking down on us and that really disgusts me,” Teodoro said. “So I urge our fellow Filipinos to really stand up against China’s insult to us.”

He stressed that Beijing’s illegal activities in South China Sea, including the swarming of its vessels and maritime militia, were part of its plans to occupy the whole area.

National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya earlier said that China had been using “operators” to divide Filipinos on the West Philippine Sea issue.

“It’s to their advantage that we’re divided as a nation. They are undermining our country’s position through their political operators here at a time when we need to be united and show the world that we are supporting the Philippines’ stand,” Malaya said.

A report by the US Department of State has also accused the Chinese government of spending billions annually for disinformation.

The report said that China’s “global information manipulation [was] not simply a matter of public diplomacy —but a challenge to the integrity of the global information space.”