Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has warned that academic exchange programmes with China pose a "grey-zone" security threat, urging heightened vigilance over such initiatives.
The intervention follows reports that language instructors operating in Manila received training from a Chinese university linked to the ongoing sovereignty dispute over the Batanes province.
The defence chief’s comments mark a significant escalation in Manila’s approach to non-military interactions with Beijing.
By framing educational and cultural exchanges as potential vectors for influence operations, the Philippines is broadening its definition of national security threats beyond traditional maritime and territorial disputes.
This shift suggests that future diplomatic and cultural engagements will face stricter vetting and potential suspension.
The warning arrives against a backdrop of severely strained relations between the two nations.