Teodoro: China's parade with Putin, Kim meant to intimidate small nations

MANILA, Philippines — China's largest-ever military parade on Wednesday, September 3, where Beijing flexed its military might was designed to intimidate "small countries," including the Philippines, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said.

At the parade in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping stood flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and spoke of a world "faced with the choice of peace or war." 

Teodoro was asked about the parade during an ambush interview after the Victory Day commemoration at Camp John Hay in Baguio City on Wednesday.

"Look at the three leaders who do not follow and even go against international law, together in a parade. That's intimidation. For me, that's intimidation, especially for small countries," Teodoro said in Filipino.

Wednesday's military display by China marks eight decades since Japan's surrender during World War II. The joint appearance of Xi, Putin and Kim is notable for bringing together the leaders of three nations that have increasingly challenged US' dominance in global affairs.

Xi used the occasion to declare China is "never intimidated by any bullies" — an apparent reference to the United States — while promoting Beijing's vision of a "multipolar" world where China plays a leading role alongside traditional powers.

Historical revisionism

Reacting to the event, Teodoro rejected China's efforts to "reframe" World War II history, saying such revisionism would erase the deaths of millions under China's and Russia's authoritarian regimes. 

"Why will we reframe the historical perspective when facts happen?" Teodoro said during the wide-ranging interview. "It will erase the millions of people who were murdered in stalags, in pogroms by Stalin and the 45 million people who died under Mao Zedong."

Teodoro was responding to China's push to change the historical narrative around World War II and elevate the roles of China and Russia in defeating fascism, alongside the traditional Allied powers led by the United States. 

Teodoro argued that this attempt at historical revisionism serves Beijing’s geopolitical aims, including its expansive maritime claims.

"To use history to subjugate another country, it's as if they say this is the regeneration or the re-awakening of the Chinese people. But at the expense of the Philippines? No," he said.

Credibility questioned

The defense chief also questioned China's credibility in promoting what it calls a "fairer" international order, pointing to extensive restrictions on free expression and systematic crackdowns on dissidents within China itself.

"They say they want a more just arrangement in the world — more fair, more equal, more free. But are they free? Can their people express themselves?" Teodoro said, specifically citing China's persecution of practitioners of the Falun Gong religious movement and the suppression of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

"What did they do to Falun Gong? What did they do at Tiananmen? For me, there's really no credibility. Deficit of trust and credibility at the end of the day," he added.

The defense chief noted that India, despite attending an earlier summit in China, skipped Wednesday’s parade. He said Beijing avoids confronting India because of its nuclear arsenal and military strength.

"India talked with China because China cannot handle India. India has nuclear weapons, India is strong," the defense chief said. "What about us? Will we just give in? Is that what they want? That we agree to their revisionist history?"

"If they're rampant in spreading fake news, what more if we can't trust their version of history?" he said.

‘China’s red line is not ours’

Teodoro also pushed back against a recent warning from Beijing that the Philippines would “pay a price” after reports that Taiwan’s foreign minister visited Manila last week.
 
Teodoro stressed that no Philippine government official met with the Taiwanese envoy.

While the Philippines adheres to the One China principle — where it only recognizes the People's Republic of China as the only sovereign state under the name of China — Teodoro insisted that China’s “red line” cannot be imposed on Filipinos. 

“The red line of China is for their people. Do not impose it on us,” Teodoro said. 

He added that Beijing’s threats should not be used to curtail cooperation in areas such as investment, humanitarian assistance, or people-to-people exchanges.