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鈥淚 believe that, in this case, revealing to the world how China is harassing the Philippine鈥檚 navy and fishermen of the Philippines in their own waters is very important because it shatters the illusion of China being a peaceful and friendly neighbor,鈥� Defense Minister Dovil臈 艩akalien臈 said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 nothing peaceful when you see water cannons being used against peaceful fishermen and there鈥檚 nothing peaceful about ramming the ships of Philippines in the territorial waters of the Philippines,” she added.

艩akalien臈 expressed support to former Filipino senator while in the capital for talks aimed at deepening defense ties between the two countries.

Tolentino was sanctioned by China on Tuesday for his strong criticisms of Beijing鈥檚 acts of aggression and for his work on two new laws, which demarcated Philippine territorial zones, including in parts of the South China Sea that Beijing claims.

艩akalien臈 said she and her family had also been sanctioned by China and banned from entering the country for her strong criticisms of China鈥檚 aggression and human rights record.

鈥淲elcome to the club,鈥� 艩akalien臈 said in an interview with a small group of journalists, including from The Associated Press, in response to China鈥檚 sanction against Tolentino. 鈥淭alking about China鈥檚 crimes is what gets you into the blacklist.鈥�

“Pressure, coercion and threats is their usual method of operation,鈥� she said.

Chinese officials did not immediately comment on 艩akalien臈鈥檚 remarks.

During President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.‘s administration, which began in mid-2022, the Philippines invited Filipino and foreign journalists to join its coast guard and navy patrols in the disputed South China Sea. They have witnessed an increasingly in the waters in recent years, with China using water cannons and dangerous maneuvers to defend its claim to the global trade route.

China blames the Philippines for instigating the clashes. A 2016 international arbitration decision invalidated China鈥檚 claims based on the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, but Beijing has rejected the ruling and continues to defy it.

艩akalien臈 said that in the , Chinese ships and crew members have helped suspected Russian fleets damage undersea oil pipelines, and data and electricity cables belonging to rival European nations like Lithuania by dragging steel anchors on the seafloor. She warned that such acts of sabotage could also be carried out in Asia by China and Russia.

Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have also been involved in the long-simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea but they have not been as vocal against China鈥檚 aggression as the Philippines.

The United States does not lay claim to the disputed waters but has that it is obligated to defend the Philippines 鈥� Washington鈥檚 oldest treaty ally in Asia 鈥� if it comes under an armed attack.

艩akalien臈 warned that it鈥檚 crucial for countries to band together and fight an emerging authoritarian bloc consisting of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea which she said is a threat to democracy.

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Associated Press journalists Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila in Manila contributed to this report.