MANILA, Philippines — At the commemoration of a battle that pitted Filipinos against Chinese soldiers in the Korean War, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said a “reset” with the current government in Beijing would “depend on their good faith.”

“Of course, the President is always willing to reset ties. But insofar as our defense resilience is concerned, we will pursue. Any country which approaches us in good faith will not be worried about our defense resilience because then the motives are clear,” Teodoro said on Thursday, April 23, on the sidelines of the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Yuldong (or Yultong) at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

Teodoro was asked how he, as defense chief, works out Manila’s goal of “resetting” ties with China even as Chinese maritime forces continue to harass Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself has disclosed his desire for a reset.

“It cannot be denied that China is illegally denying us our rights in the West Philippine Sea and other areas and illegally occupying Mischief Reef and other areas. So probably, those are conditions precedent to any talk with them,” he added. 

Engagements between Manila and Beijing have steadily increased since 2026 started, mostly through the revival of pre-existing diplomatic platforms. 

Still, China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea, a part of the South China Sea that includes Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and features that the Philippines claims, have continued to be aggressive. 

Across the Philippines, soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the military forces of the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, and France are participating in the weeks-long Balikatan war games. This year’s iteration of the long-running bilateral joint drills between the US and the Philippines is focused on operationalizing both the Philippines’ archipelagic defense plans and its ability to work well with its allies and partners. 

While military officials are quick to say that Balikatan or any other bilateral or multilateral joint military exercise — are not directed towards a specific adversary, the drills are backgrounded by Chinese actions in the region, including in the West Philippine Sea and north of the Philippines. 

“If any country is worried about our defense engagements and resilience, it’s because they have a bad intention and a bad motive to begin with. We cannot discount the fact that whatever reset, we have an Arbitral Award award which is already part of the law of the land,” said Teodoro, referring to the 2016 Arbitral Award which deemed China’s vast claim over the South China Sea invalid. Beijing does not recognize the award, however. 

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Added the defense chief: “No less than President [Rodrigo] Duterte during his address to the UN General Assembly.” Duterte, now under detention and awaiting trial before the International Criminal Court over his bloody drug war, once tried to pivot the Philippines to China and away from the United States.  

Teodoro, who has been defense secretary since 2023, said the Philippines’ “transparency initiative” — or its policy to expose China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea — will continue, even with the new national security adviser. 

Eduardo Año, who was appointed to the post just months before Teodoro, retired in mid-April 2025 and has since been replaced by another former military chief, Eduardo Oban Jr. 

The push, launched in 2023, initially focused heavily on Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, where a rusting World War II vessel serves as a Philippine outpost in the area. China Coast Guard vessels would routinely harass Philippine ships during resupply missions to the shoal.

A June 17, 2024 incident — the tensest thus far between Chinese and Filipino personnel — led to a “provisional arrangement” that has, so far, resulted in peaceful resupply missions. — Rappler.com