Philippines Defense Secretary Says Country Faces Long-Term Maritime Dispute With China

The Philippines expects a long-term struggle with China over territory in the South China Sea, national defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro said. Teodoro spoke to CNBC on the sidelines of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. He said China continues its actions without pause and shows no change in its approach to expansion.

The two countries have been in conflict around disputed areas. China asserts claims over nearly the entire sea, including zones that overlap with the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

Background on the Dispute China has built structures on shoals in recent years to support its claims. The Philippines has sought to address the matter through negotiations and filed an arbitration case under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Teodoro said success would mean stopping further Chinese advancement and any new artificial island construction. He added that the area is part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone and is needed by future generations in an archipelago facing climate pressures.