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Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. doubts China will negotiate the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea (SCS) in "good faith".

Teodoro made this statement even as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is "looking forward to good faith discussions" with China on the COC with the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"Let's scrutinize their actions on what they are putting forward in the discussions on the Code of Conduct. That I would like to see. I mean, because if it is a perpetuation of what they have already done, then it's hard. We look forward to good faith discussions, and the President has given the marching order that he looks forward to good faith discussions, and we will comply," he said in an interview in Pasay City on Monday.

"Right now, honestly speaking, I do not see that, and the President also echoed that in saying that we cannot cast a blind eye or turn a blind eye on what is happening in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea," he added.

Teodoro noted that China is "committed to dialogue, but (the problem is that) they only believe in what they say"

"We are also committed to dialogue as long as we know that we are not being fooled. We are not being hurt," he said.

"They (China) are committed to dialogue but they are also committed to illegal action. That's the problem," he added.

In his intervention during the 27th ASEAN-China Summit in Laos, Marcos urged the ASEAN members to expedite the negotiation on a long-waited code on the South China Sea.

''In our view, there should be more urgency in the pace of the negotiations of the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct (COC),” said Marcos.

Teodoro also reiterated that although the Philippines is always open for communication, the Department of National Defense or the Armed Forces of the Philippines remains the same which is to build a credible deterrent posture.

"I mean, there is always room for communication, but nonetheless, on the (Department of National) Defense side... Our job in this whole thing is, simply put, which is to build up a credible deterrent posture. That's it, whether dialogue or whatnot," he said. Robina Asido/DMS