The Ministry of National Defense announced on the 27th that China will send its defense attaché at the embassy in the Philippines to attend the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus. According to reporters, this marks the lowest-level participation by Chinese officials since the inaugural ADMM-Plus was held in 2010. Experts interviewed stated that the responsibility for this situation lies entirely with the Philippines.
The Ministry of National Defense announced on the 27th that on October 29, China's defense attaché at the embassy in the Philippines will represent China at the 13th ADMM-Plus held in Cebu, exchanging views with all parties on adhering to dialogue and consultation, enhancing mutual understanding and trust, reaffirming firm support for ASEAN's central role in the regional architecture, promoting regional defense and security dialogue and cooperation, and contributing to the maintenance of regional peace and stability.
According to information published on ASEAN's official website, the 20th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting, the 13th ADMM-Plus, and related sideline meetings will be held from October 28 to 29 in Cebu, Philippines. The Philippines is the 2026 ASEAN chair. The ADMM-Plus mechanism began in 2010 and is a component of the regional security architecture, aimed at promoting cooperation between ASEAN and eight dialogue partner countries, including China, to address common security challenges.
Reporters observed that apart from the 10th meeting in 2023, which was attended by a Chinese Ministry of National Defense delegation, the previous 11 meetings were all attended by the sitting Chinese Minister of National Defense. At the regular Foreign Ministry press conference held on the 26th, when asked whether China would send senior officials or a delegation to the ADMM-Plus, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that the ADMM-Plus should play a positive role in strengthening dialogue, enhancing mutual trust, and promoting cooperation among regional countries. We oppose any force using public platforms for private purposes, hijacking ASEAN, and stirring up trouble.
Ding Duo, director of the Regional and Country Studies Institute at the China South China Sea Research Institute, told reporters on the 27th that China's downgraded participation in the ADMM-Plus reflects the current reality of China-Philippines political, diplomatic, and defense cooperation relations, and the responsibility for this situation lies entirely with the Philippines. Ding Duo stated that as this year's ASEAN chair and host, the Philippines should have earnestly fulfilled its responsibilities as chair, organized the meeting well, managed the agenda properly, and fostered a calm, constructive, and cooperation-focused atmosphere for dialogue and consultation among all parties, rather than turning the multilateral platform into a stage for hyping up South China Sea disputes and pursuing selfish interests, and even less should it condone the Philippine military and police system using the occasion to hijack the agenda, smear China, and create confrontation.
Recently, China-Philippines relations have continued to be disrupted by Philippine maritime provocations and negative remarks concerning China. The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines announced on the 19th that the Philippine side has carried out at least 10 serious maritime infringement provocations in the past month, while anti-China politicians have repeatedly threatened to designate the Chinese ambassador as persona non grata. The embassy also emphasized that the Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests, and that the Philippine side has recently made repeated negative moves on Taiwan-related issues, which China is highly concerned about and has lodged solemn representations over.
Meanwhile, Philippine Defense Secretary Teodoro publicly claimed on the 23rd that if China uses force to tow away the illegally grounded warship BRP Sierra Madre at Ren'ai Reef, or takes military action against the vessel, it would constitute an act of war against the Philippines. The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines previously stated that Teodoro severed China-Philippines military communication and dialogue for three years and clamored that he had no intention of restoring it.
In Ding Duo's view, the current difficulties facing China-Philippines relations stem mainly from three factors. First, anti-China forces in the Philippine military and police system, represented by Teodoro, have recently frequently attacked, smeared, and made groundless accusations against China on China-related and maritime-related issues, severely undermining the necessary atmosphere for the development of bilateral relations. Second, Philippine President Marcos lacks effective restraint and control over domestic anti-China forces, even adopting a laissez-faire attitude and failing to stop personnel and remarks that damage China-Philippines relations. In addition, against the backdrop of continued intervention in South China Sea affairs by extra-regional countries such as the United States and Japan and increased support for the Philippines, there is also a lack of suitable conditions for improving China-Philippines relations.
China's sending of a defense attaché to attend the meeting aims to clarify its own position and propositions and to respond resolutely to attacks and smears from the Philippine side, Ding Duo stated. He said China and ASEAN countries have broad common interests and consensus in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and promoting regional security cooperation. The position of a small number of anti-China forces in the Philippines cannot represent ASEAN, and even less should it coerce other ASEAN member states.
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