Key facts
- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. supports Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
- China imposed sanctions on Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and other Philippine officials.
- The sanctions are due to the Philippines' stance on the South China Sea dispute.
- China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the Philippines' South China Sea claims.
- The criticism coincides with the anniversary of a 2016 arbitral ruling.
- The 2016 ruling invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has publicly declared his support for Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. This backing comes after China imposed sanctions targeting Teodoro and other Philippine officials. The sanctions are a direct consequence of the Philippines' position regarding the ongoing South China Sea dispute.