Philippines Summons Chinese Ambassador Over Forceful Rhetoric
Manila protests remarks interpreted as a threat of force and an attempt to intimidate officials critical of Beijing's actions in the South China Sea.
The Philippine government has summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest remarks that it interprets as a threat to use force, stating it will not tolerate attempts to intimidate Philippine officials who are critical of Beijing’s actions in the disputed South China Sea.
Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro relayed the Philippine government’s “serious concern” and “strong objection” to Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan regarding his statement made on Thursday, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. This action follows a period of escalating tensions between Manila and Beijing in recent years, marked by confrontations at sea and heated verbal exchanges.
China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, a critical global trade route, as its territory, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan each have separate claims to parts of the waterway.
The department indicated that it “reserves the right to take further diplomatic action as it deems necessary.” Some Philippine legislators have called for the ambassador’s censure or expulsion.
China’s embassy in Manila stated that the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department’s initial response had taken the ambassador’s remarks out of context, employing “selective quotation and overinterpretation.”
During a forum in Manila on Thursday, Ambassador Jing Quan was asked to comment on Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s characterization of China as a “troublemaker” in the region. Jing dismissed this as “nonsense” and suggested that the Philippines should consider itself fortunate to have China as a neighbor. He added, “If we want to use force, we may easily win. But no, we will not choose force and we love peace.”
Lazaro informed Jing on Monday that his statement was “provocative and unacceptable and does not contribute to creating understanding.” The department added, “As a democracy, the Philippines values freedom of expression and a plurality of voices, and it will not accept attempts by a foreign envoy to intimidate those who exercise them.”
The administration of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been strengthening military and defense engagements with its treaty ally, the United States, as well as other security partners. This includes an increase in joint combat exercises in the South China Sea, a move that China has opposed, while also conducting its own military drills in the disputed waters.