China slams Philippine defense secretary's claims on Chinese workers

The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has slammed Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.'s claims on Chinese workers at a steel plant in the Philippines, saying China firmly opposes any discriminatory or selective law enforcement campaigns targeting Chinese nationals by the Philippine side out of political considerations.

The embassy's spokeperson Ji Lingpeng made the remarks when asked to comment on claims by Teodoro, who attacked the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson's remarks as disinformation.

Teodoro alleged that Chinese workers at the Sanjia Steel Plant were engaged in illegal activities in the Philippines, and claimed that officials from the Chinese Embassy had actively intervened in local law enforcement processes.

Ji said that Teodoro's remarks are completely unfounded, and distort the facts and turn black into white.

In May this year, Teodoro instructed the Armed Forces of the Philippines to join the raid into the Sanjia Steel Plant and arrest unarmed Chinese workers.

"Is Teodoro a national defense chief or a police chief? Why did he have a hand in the law enforcement operation? What is he up to? Is that part of his portfolio? " Ji asked.

"If the plant violated environmental or other laws, why were the workers arrested instead of the people in charge? Why were only the Chinese workers arrested, while all the Filipino workers were released on the spot? Why were the Chinese workers even transported to Manila for detention by a military aircraft?" said Ji.

According to the Chinese workers, employees at the plant only wore regular occupational protective workwear while on duty and had never worn personal protective equipment (PPE).

On the day of the raid, a group of law enforcement personnel made three Chinese workers put on PPE and pose for photographs on site, and subsequently made a great deal of publicity out of that.

They also claimed that only Chinese workers wear PPE in daily operation but Philippine workers don't.

"Isn't this framing and fishing expedition?" he said.

The 70 detained Chinese workers were crammed into 5-square-meter cells.

With an average of 13 people in such small space, sleep was impossible, while the Philippine side also failed to make consular notification to the Chinese side or arrange consular visits in accordance with the bilateral consular agreement, he said.

"Are these arrangements normal?" said the spokesperson.