No, it wasn’t whataboutism, it was blatant denial of the premise and stating that it’s actually projection from the real #1 global belligerent.
China is not at war with the Philippines, there are contested waters. Yet Everytime there is a minor dispute, America paints it as a massive deal and wants to use it as an excuse to send their military to the region…
What war is China actively involved in?
What genocide is China currently partaking in?
If China is one of the less belligerent countries in the world, it’s not whataboutism to point out the other countries to oppose the narrative that China is the belligerent one.