DND chief: China’s 10-dash line shows ‘targets’ for expansion

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 7) — Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro claimed that China’s newly released administrative map with a 10-dash line depicts the East Asian giant’s “targets” for expansion.

Teodoro made the remark during the House of Representatives panel deliberations for the Department of National Defense (DND) ₱229-billion budget for 2024.

“Hindi imaginary ‘yan. Target yan ng pag-e-expand (That’s not imaginary. That’s a target for expansion),” the Defense chief said.

“Balewala ang democracy lalo na sa determinadong malaking bansa na may hangarin na kubkubin ang buong South China Sea,” he added.

[Translation: Democracy is irrelevant, especially for a determined big country that has the desire to occupy the entire South China Sea.]

Teodoro also said China “implicitly admits” its “expansionist agenda” whenever it calls the Philippines “puppets of the United States” used to “contain” them.

“That is proven by the new administrative map where they added another dash line," he said.

"So that is the best evidence to their expansionist agenda, to dominate the whole South China Sea and perhaps beyond,” Teodoro added.

The Philippines filed a protest against China’s issuance of the 2023 version of its standard map showing its extended claim in the South China Sea. 

Senators also issued separate statements rejecting China’s new map. 

Following Beijing’s release of the map, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored the importance of other nations backing the Philippines in the territorial dispute.