The Philippine foreign ministry on Monday 19th October summoned China’s ambassador to express its serious concern and strong objection to remarks by the envoy that it said conveyed a threat of the use of force.
Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro summoned Ambassador Jing Quan and told him that his comments to the media last week were provocative and unacceptable, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. She said the remarks aggravated an already sensitive atmosphere between the two countries and undermined mutual efforts to build understanding and cooperation.
“Sensitive issues should be addressed through established diplomatic channels and bilateral mechanisms that reserve space for dialogue and engagement,” Lazaro said.
Quan made the remarks during an interview on the sidelines of the second Diliman Dialogues in Quezon City on 15th October. Responding to Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro’s description of Beijing as a regional troublemaker, Quan told reporters that Manila should feel fortunate to have a neighbour like China. He dismissed the label as nonsense and accused some Philippine actions of targeting Chinese teachers and workers while continually smearing and attacking China.
After delivering a speech at a school in Manila, Quan said: “If we want to use force, we may easily win. But no, we will not choose force, and we love peace.”
The comments prompted calls from politicians, including at least two sitting senators, for Manila to expel the envoy.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr earlier described the ambassador’s remarks about the use of force as sounding very much like a threat rather than a diplomatic statement. He indicated that the matter warranted a discussion between himself and the ambassador, although the formal summoning was handled by the foreign secretary.
The Department of Foreign Affairs also stressed that foreign missions should not publicly criticise or taunt Philippine officials and legislators who are acting within their mandates. The Philippines values freedom of expression and a plurality of voices as a democracy, and it will not accept attempts by a foreign envoy to intimidate those who exercise these rights. The department emphasised the need for tact and restraint in diplomacy to preserve space for discourse despite differing positions.
The department reserves the right to take further diplomatic action as it deems necessary, Monday’s statement said.
Asked about the summoning and calls by some lawmakers in Manila for Quan’s expulsion, China said on Monday that it opposed what it described as the malicious promotion of China-related issues by some individuals in the Philippines and efforts to undermine China-Philippines relations. “The Philippine side should effectively restrain the irresponsible words and deeds of individual politicians,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular news conference. She added that improving bilateral relations would benefit both countries.
China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ambassador being summoned. Last week, it said Quan had been selectively quoted and his remarks overinterpreted.
The row followed a series of incidents involving the militaries and coast guards of the two neighbours in disputed areas of the South China Sea. Diplomatic disputes between China and the Philippines, a US ally, have become more frequent in recent years, typically involving standoffs and altercations between rival vessels in the waterway, much of which Beijing claims as its own.
Beijing claims most of the strategic waterway despite a 2016 international arbitral ruling that rejected its historic rights claims beyond its entitlements under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. China has refused to recognise the decision.
Manila has accused China’s coast guard of aggressive conduct in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, while Beijing insists it is enforcing the law against vessels encroaching on its territory. Tensions have repeatedly involved water cannon use, ramming incidents, and confrontations near features such as Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Ayungin Shoal, which the Philippines claims.
Both sides have continued to emphasise the importance of managing differences through dialogue, even as public exchanges grow sharper. The latest episode highlights the fragile state of bilateral ties amid competing maritime claims and the Philippines’ alliance with the US.
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