Teodoro accuses China of fostering Sinophobia

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro blamed the Chinese government for fostering Sinophobia in the Philippines, citing China's travel advisory warning its citizens about possible harassment following a crackdown on alleged Chinese spies.

Teodoro accused the Chinese Communist Party and President Xi Jinping of overreach, leading to a loss of trust among Chinese citizens, and said that China's National Intelligence Law passed in 2017 mandates every Chinese national to be an intelligence operative for the Ministry of State Security.

The Philippines has denied targeting Chinese citizens, asserting that all are welcome except for criminals, with Malacañang assuring China that it does not target any nationality but enforces the law strictly.

Suspicion of covert Chinese operations intensified in 2024 with the case of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, who was revealed to be a Chinese citizen and accused of being a spy for the Communist Party of China.

The National Bureau of Investigation is still investigating hundreds of fake birth certificates issued to foreign nationals.