China has imposed sanctions on Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr., barring him, his wife, and their adult son from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, and prohibiting any organisations or individuals in China from conducting transactions or cooperating with them. Beijing's foreign ministry announced the measures on Thursday, June 11 — just hours before the Philippines marked its Independence Day commemorating its 1898 declaration of independence from Spain — accusing Teodoro of making "irresponsible remarks" that "undermine China's legitimate interests and sabotage China-Philippines relations."

Teodoro, who has served as defence secretary since 2023, is one of the Philippine government's most outspoken voices on Chinese activity in the West Philippine Sea — the portion of the South China Sea that falls within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) under international law. China claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea and refuses to recognise a 2016 international arbitral ruling that affirmed the Philippines' maritime rights. Manila accuses Beijing of routinely deploying coast guard and naval vessels to block Filipino access to strategic reefs and islands, and of harassing both military and civilian vessels, including the wooden fishing boats of Filipino fisherfolk. Most recently, at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore in late May 2026, Teodoro warned that negotiations with Beijing serve China's strategic advantage rather than genuine conflict resolution — remarks that drew a sharp response from China's foreign ministry, which accused him of distorting China's image for "selfish personal gain."

Responding to the sanctions on Friday, Teodoro was unrepentant, saying the measures were both China's "right" and confirmation that he had been "speaking the truth against their deception." He pledged to continue doing his duty "in the face of the wickedness they are committing here and even in our seas." The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs acknowledged that imposing sanctions was Beijing's prerogative but called the move "an unfriendly act that further complicates bilateral relations," adding that such measures do not build mutual trust or support constructive engagement between the two countries.

The sanctions make Teodoro the second member of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s cabinet to be blacklisted by Beijing; newly appointed labour secretary Francis Tolentino is also barred from entering Chinese territory. The move marks a further deterioration in a relationship already strained by years of confrontation at sea. For many Filipinos — particularly fishing communities who depend on access to resource-rich disputed waters — the dispute with China carries direct economic consequences, adding a human dimension to what is also a high-stakes geopolitical standoff in one of the world's most strategically contested waterways.