Beijing has condemned remarks by the Philippine defense chief, accusing the Philippines of damaging bilateral trust through 'political theatrics'. China urged Manila to prevent 'a few clowns' from sabotaging their relationship.

Beijing has condemned remarks by Philippine defence chief Gilberto Teodoro Jnr, saying the comments seriously damaged bilateral trust and showed a lack of gratitude for Chinese aid. China’s foreign ministry on Tuesday called on Manila to take action to prevent “a few clowns” from sabotaging bilateral ties through repeated political theatrics, as ties between the two neighbours remained strained. On the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Teodoro said during an interview with...