China’s new envoy to Manila begins tour of duty

China has appointed Ambassador Jing Quan as its new top diplomat to the Philippines, officially marking the start of his tour of duty after presenting credentials to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) this week.

The DFA said Quan previously served as minister and deputy chief of mission at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., one of Beijing’s most critical foreign postings. Before that, he held senior roles in China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Deputy Director-General of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs from 2018 to 2021.

Quan, a native of Hancheng in Shaanxi Province, arrived in Manila on 6 December and formally presented an open copy of his credentials to DFA Assistant Secretary and Protocol Chief Ariel Rodelas Peñaranda on 9 December. He is married and has one daughter.

On Wednesday, Ambassador Quan paid a courtesy call on Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, where both sides discussed the direction of Manila–Beijing relations. Lazaro said the meeting covered “our shared interest in dialogue, stability, and expanded cooperation in trade and people-to-people exchanges,” underscoring ongoing efforts to maintain open communication channels amid regional tensions.

Quan’s appointment comes at a sensitive period in Philippine-China relations, with both nations navigating complex issues in the West Philippine Sea even as they seek to sustain economic and cultural engagement.