MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. pushed back against China after receiving a handwritten note defending Beijing’s rejection of the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling while he was speaking at an international defense forum in Seoul, South Korea.

Teodoro was participating in a panel discussion at the 2026 Seoul Defense Dialogue on Tuesday, Sept. 8, when a forum staff member handed him the note as he discussed maritime security, China’s actions in the South China Sea, and the importance of complying with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS.

The note stated that China’s position on the South China Sea arbitration remained “clear, consistent and firm” and repeated Beijing’s position that the arbitral award was illegal, null and void and had no binding force.

Teodoro read portions of the note aloud and challenged its assertions.

When the note said China neither accepts nor recognizes the arbitral ruling, Teodoro responded, “Of course, because you lost.”

He also criticized the manner in which the message was delivered during the international forum, describing the incident as disrespectful to international law and the rules-based order.

Teodoro said China’s actions in the South China Sea should no longer be treated merely as “gray zone” tactics, describing them instead as coercion, bullying and aggression.

According to Seoul Defense Dialogue organizers, the handwritten note came from a Chinese military attaché assigned to the Chinese Embassy in Seoul. The attaché reportedly gave the note to a forum staff member and asked that it be passed to Teodoro.

Organizers said the staff member mistakenly thought the note came from the Philippine delegation and handed it to Teodoro while he was speaking.

The 2016 arbitral award rejected the legal basis for China’s sweeping historic-rights claims within its so-called nine-dash line in the South China Sea. The tribunal also upheld several of the Philippines’ maritime entitlements under UNCLOS.

China did not participate in the arbitration and continues to reject the ruling.

The award is final and binding on the Philippines and China under the dispute-settlement provisions of UNCLOS, although the tribunal has no enforcement mechanism of its own.

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