In Seoul, a defense minister chose to read aloud what was meant to stay silent — and in doing so, revealed something larger than the contents of any single message. Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.'s public disclosure of a private Chinese diplomatic note at an international conference was not merely a breach of protocol; it was a signal that the quiet architecture of bilateral diplomacy between Manila and Beijing is under serious strain. When a nation's representative invites the world to judge a private exchange, the message being sent is not only to the other party, but to