Teodoro dares China to international arbitration

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. challenged China to submit its maritime claim to international arbitration, questioning China's reluctance to do so.

He asserted that it is China that is persistently intruding into Philippine territorial waters.

The Philippines accused China's coastguard of using water cannon against a civilian boat supplying troops stationed on a grounded warship at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, damaging the resupply boat and injuring some crew.

China has warned the Philippines to "be prepared to bear all other potential consequences" of its actions in the South China Sea.

Teodoro criticized China's "bottom line" claim, suggesting it is a tactic of using force to intimidate the Philippines into yielding to its ambitions.