On Wednesday, the Philippines' defense secretary accused a Chinese foreign ministry official of engaging in disrespectful language towards President Ferdinand Marcos Jr during a news briefing, condemning it as "low and gutter-level talk."

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro also criticized spokesperson Mao Ning for disseminating state-sanctioned propaganda and disinformation. This response came after Mao's comments on Tuesday advising Marcos to "read more books" to better comprehend the nuances of the Taiwan issue, following Marcos' congratulations to Taiwan's democratically elected president, Lai Ching-te.

Teodoro expressed disappointment in the Chinese spokesperson's use of insulting language towards the Philippine president and the nation, viewing it as a debasement of the Chinese ministry and party she represents. China's embassy and foreign ministry in Manila have not yet responded to Teodoro's comments, marking another episode in the ongoing verbal disputes between Beijing and Manila, a staunch US ally.

Marcos' congratulatory remarks were followed by the Philippines reaffirming its "One China policy" and emphasizing that Marcos' message aimed to acknowledge mutual interests between the Philippines and Taiwan, including the presence of 200,000 Filipino workers in the island nation.