Teodoro: Batanes claim of Chinese scholars is 'quasi-state statement' 

The claim made by Chinese academics that Batanes is an extension of Taiwan, and therefore belongs to China, could be viewed as a “quasi-state statement,” said Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr.

Although not an official statement of the Chinese government, Teodoro said the reported assertion by Chinese scholars “is signaling on their part.”

“In a closed society like China, with the 2017 National Security Law of China, any Chinese subject or any academic who makes a statement in China becomes a quasi-state statement,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the National Peace Walk in Manila on Sunday.

The defense chief called the claim “ridiculous.”

“But maybe to their citizens, it’s not because their citizens don’t have access to free information…We still have to take all these threats seriously,” Teodoro added.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said the Philippines should not brush aside the Chinese scholars’ claim.

“The reason why the Chinese government is upgrading its information operation…is because, obviously, they’re losing the narrative…We need to condemn this kind of narrative, otherwise it will be normalized,” he added.

Tarriela also questioned the intention of the Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan’s visit to Batanes in June.

Batanes Gov. Jun Aguto had earlier confirmed the visit of the Chinese envoy. But he clarified, “There was no talk on the territory belonging to Taiwan.”

Tarriela, however, said: “If this is a visit of goodwill, if the Chinese Ambassador is just being friendly, he needs to speak up and say, ‘Oh, sorry. China has no plans of claiming Batanes.”

GMA News has sought a comment from the Chinese Embassy in Manila, but it has yet to reply as of posting time. —AOL, GMA News