MANILA, Philippines — China is reportedly considering 10 possible countermeasures against the Philippines, including sanctions on Filipino politicians, cuts in oil and fertilizer supplies, and the removal of the grounded warship at Ayungin Shoal, amid escalating tensions over the South China Sea, aggravated by statements from some Philippine government officials.
The proposed measures, outlined in a report posted Thursday by Chinese Commercial News, a Manila-based Chinese-language newspaper with links to Chinese state media, also include discouraging Chinese tourists from visiting the Philippines, tightening employment rules for Filipino workers in Hong Kong and Macao, and restricting exports of goods considered essential to the Philippine economy.
The report did not identify its sources and stressed that the proposed measures had not been officially confirmed by the Chinese government. It was unclear whether any had entered Beijing’s formal decision-making process.
Among the most consequential proposals is towing away the BRP Sierra Madre, the Philippine Navy ship deliberately grounded at Ayungin Shoal, internationally known as Second Thomas Shoal, to maintain a Philippine presence in the disputed waters.
China is also reportedly considering blocking Philippine resupply missions to the outpost and taking stronger action against attempts to reach the vessel.
Any attempt to remove the ship or prevent its resupply could further escalate tensions between Manila and Beijing, whose competing claims in the South China Sea have repeatedly triggered confrontations between their maritime forces.
The reported economic measures include suspending supplies of refined petroleum products and fertilizers to the Philippines and restricting exports of other urgently needed goods, potentially adding pressure on the country’s energy supplies, agriculture and supply chains.
Other proposed measures include imposing sanctions on Philippine politicians considered hostile to China, barring them and their immediate family members from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao, freezing their assets in Chinese territory, and prohibiting Chinese companies and individuals from conducting transactions with them.
Beijing could also publicly disclose the business dealings, financial interests and assets in China of certain Philippine politicians, according to the report.
The proposals extend beyond trade and maritime disputes. China could advise its citizens against traveling to the Philippines, citing security concerns and alleged criminal activities, while intensifying enforcement against Filipinos working illegally in mainland China.
In Hong Kong and Macao, authorities could tighten enforcement of visa and employment regulations affecting Filipino workers and suspend dialogue with Manila on labor-related issues, the report said.
Another possible diplomatic measure would be to demand the closure of some Philippine consulates general in China, including the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong, if Manila approves the establishment of an office by Taiwan authorities in Cebu.
The report said Beijing could invoke what it considers an imbalance in the number of consulates maintained by the two countries in each other’s territories.
Beijing steps up criticism of Teodoro
The reported countermeasures come as the Chinese Embassy has intensified its criticism of Teodoro over his remarks and actions involving Chinese and China’s role in the region.
In a separate statement, the Embassy raised seven questions about the defense secretary’s involvement in a May operation at Sanjia Steel Corp., during which 70 Chinese workers were arrested.
The Embassy questioned why the workers were detained instead of those allegedly responsible for violations at the factory, why Filipino workers were released while the Chinese remained in custody, and why military aircraft were used to transport the Chinese workers to Manila.
It also alleged that the workers were held in overcrowded conditions and that Philippine authorities failed to provide consular notification and access in accordance with bilateral arrangements.
According to the Embassy, the 70 workers were released after 32 days in detention.
The Chinese side also challenged Teodoro’s suggestion that the workers’ failure to carry their passports when arrested raised suspicions of human trafficking.
Citing a May 28 resolution by the Department of Justice, the Embassy said the allegations lacked sufficient evidence to justify the workers’ continued detention. It questioned Teodoro’s continued accusations against the workers after the department’s decision.
The Embassy also accused Teodoro of working with external parties to attack and discredit Chinese-language education, claiming that the actions had forced more than 180 Chinese teachers to leave the Philippines.
It rejected Teodoro’s characterization of China as a “troublemaker” in the region, saying such remarks would do little to improve bilateral relations.
The latest developments add to longstanding tensions over the South China Sea, where China claims waters and features also claimed by the Philippines and other countries.
Manila maintains that Ayungin Shoal lies within its exclusive economic zone and has continued supplying Filipino personnel aboard the BRP Sierra Madre despite repeated Chinese efforts to block or disrupt resupply missions.
