Beijing labels Philippine academic scrutiny a political provocation

The Philippine Department of National Defense raised alarms last week over Beijing's national security law, which mandates that entities cooperate with Chinese intelligence agencies. Officials in Manila fear these provisions could be leveraged to influence domestic education and cultural programs. In response, China’s foreign ministry dismissed these concerns as malicious attacks, accusing a small group of anti-China factions within the Philippines of hijacking diplomatic relations to distract from maritime disputes in the South China Sea.

This rhetoric marks a deepening divide between the two nations. Defense chief Gilberto Teodoro previously labeled China as "wicked" in June, drawing sharp rebukes from Beijing. Public suspicion has been further fueled by domestic scandals, including the conviction of a former mayor for human trafficking—a figure identified as a Chinese national with alleged ties to criminal syndicates. The ministry maintains that current accusations are merely a form of media distortion designed to serve narrow political interests rather than legitimate security concerns.