MANILA, Philippines — The Department of National Defense (DND) called out China’s Jinan University and other state-owned institutions’ push for “academic fairness” following the agency’s foreign exchange programs oversight.
“The DND calls out the hypocrisy of state-controlled entities—such as Jinan University and similar Beijing-run institutions—invoking concepts like “academic fairness” and “academic freedom.”” the DND stated in a press release on Friday.
READ: Teodoro urges vigilance over PH, China cultural exchange
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. urged Wednesday at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay greater scrutiny over foreign exchange programs after SeaLight, a maritime transparency initiative, reported that Chinese language teachers are trained in Jinan University, which he described as “the very institution that is spreading fake news,”
“The Department of National Defense (DND) firmly rejects recent state-sponsored commentary questioning the Philippines’ legitimate security oversight of foreign-linked cultural and academic exchange programs,” the DND said.
The agency, moreover, said that state-controlled symposiums, similar to Jinan University–which previously claimed Batanes belongs to China–only made claims over the country’s territorial sovereignty, rather than promoting genuine cultural and academic exchange programs.
“The DND notes with serious concern that while foreign state-controlled outlets purport to promote purely “cultural and academic” exchanges, these programs have highlighted academic forums that openly question Philippine territorial sovereignty—specifically asserting unlawful claims over the Batanes Islands, an integral and indisputable territory of the Republic of the Philippines,” the DND said.
The DND stressed that the agency’s oversight on foreign cultural and academic exchanges is necessary, primarily on academic programs that are “weaponized”. It added that the move is not “politicization” but a “constitutional act of public defense”.
“Furthermore, the PRC (People’s Republic of China)’s definition of “fairness” in international engagements mirrors its unilateral stance in the West Philippine Sea: an unfair arrangement where one side demands total control while offering no reciprocal respect for international law,” it added.
It emphasized that evaluations on the program’s security are limited to “foreign malign influence, co-optation, and covert interference” and not directed against the Filipino-Chinese community.
“Protecting local educational institutions from foreign state control ensures that genuine cultural bridges are preserved rather than exploited for geopolitical agendas,” it stated. /mr
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