Seoul: China and the Philippines have exchanged sharp words about the disputed South China Sea, with their latest spat coming after the Philippine defense chief said he received a note from Beijing during a defense forum in South Korea. Videos of the Seoul Defense Dialogue on Tuesday showed Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. receiving a note from China while answering a question.

According to Anadolu Agency, the note contained remarks concerning the disputed South China Sea, as stated by Teodoro. He responded to the claims one by one as he read them aloud. "China's position on the South China Sea arbitration is clear, consistent, and firm," the note stated. Teodoro countered by saying that Beijing has "no position."

The note further declared, "The arbitration violates fundamental principles of international law." Teodoro retorted, "So what you signed, UNCLOS, violates international law," referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS. A 2016 decision by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration had concluded that China's maritime claims in the South China Sea were not valid.

The note described the 2016 award as "illegal, null, and void." Teodoro replied, "So say you, and (it) has no binding force because you don't want to be subjected to UNCLOS." He added, "China neither accepts nor recognizes the award," to which Teodoro responded, "Of course, because you lost."

Teodoro characterized the note as "actual coercion, bullying, and aggression," and mentioned that he would keep it as a memento of "how desperate China is." In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning remarked during a news conference on Wednesday that she was "not sure what exactly happened at the event, but China's position has always been clear on the so-called 'South China Sea arbitration.'"

Mao accused Manila of "unilaterally initiating the case, which is a distortion and abuse of the UNCLOS dispute settlement mechanism," further alleging that the Philippines violated UNCLOS and undermined "its integrity and authority." She urged Teodoro to "cut the provocations and theatrics, and stop undermining China-Philippines relations and stability in the South China Sea."

This incident is a continuation of the ongoing tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, where both nations have engaged in repeated confrontations over competing territorial claims. The area is one of the world's busiest trade routes, with trillions of dollars in annual trade.