Manila, July 12 -- China's emerging narrative linking Batanes to Taiwan may appear "ridiculous" but it should not be dismissed as mere rhetoric, with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. describing it as a form of strategic signaling that requires vigilance from the Philippines.

In an interview on the sidelines of the National Peace Walk in Manila commemorating the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling, Teodoro said statements allegedly made by Chinese academics carry broader implications because of China's political system.

"This is signaling on their part. It's good that it's ridiculous, but maybe to their citizens it might not be because their citizens have no access to free information. So, we stil...