DFA summons Chinese envoy as protest, warns of 'diplomatic action' if feud with Phl politicians persist

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday summoned China’s top diplomat to Manila to protest his contentious remarks about Beijing’s ability to “easily win” a conflict with the Philippines by “use of force,” warning that the Philippines will not hesitate to pursue “diplomatic action” if heated exchanges with its officials persist despite the dialogue.

DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro called in Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan following mounting criticisms over his 15 October statement, which drew the wrath of Philippine lawmakers and was even denounced by President Marcos Jr. as “undiplomatic.”

Jing has since fired back at the Philippine lawmakers who called for his immediate expulsion and warned that China would retaliate by declaring them persona non grata in Beijing as well, effectively barring their entry.

Lazaro reportedly told Jing that his statements were “provocative and unacceptable,” stressing that diplomats should not intimidate and publicly taunt key officials of his host country.

The DFA also stressed that “such language aggravates an already sensitive bilateral atmosphere and undermines the shared effort” of the Philippines and China to build mutual understanding and cooperation.

“It is not the place of a foreign mission to publicly criticize or taunt Philippine officials and legislators who are acting within their mandates. 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 DFA statement reads.

Despite this, Senator Erwin Tulfo, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, still penned a resolution urging the DFA to require China to recall Jing and terminate his functions by declaring him persona non grata.

Tulfo argued that diplomats must exercise restraint and use measured and conciliatory language to avoid escalating tensions, but Jing instead aggravated the situation by threatening that China would retaliate if they expelled him.

“If you’re a diplomat, you have to tone down your statements…You should engage in diplomacy instead of using language that sounds like taunting, as if saying, “We can defeat you,” Tulfo said in a chance interview prior to the filing of Senate Resolution 739.

“He should clarify his statement like, 'Well, that’s not what I meant. What I meant was that we are ready to talk.’ Instead, he doubled down and said, ‘Go ahead and declare me persona non grata. Let’s see, and you’ll get banned in China in return,” he added.

The DFA said the Philippines reaffirmed its commitment to address sensitive issues with China through diplomatic channels to preserve space for candid dialogue and constructive engagement, though the department cautioned that Manila would “take further diplomatic action as it deems necessary.”

On the eve of Jing's summons, the Chinese Embassy in Manila boldly challenged Philippine politicians to back up their words with action as talk swirled about declaring the envoy persona non grata.

While the embassy brushed it off as “old and low tricks”, it warned that China would respond in kind by banning their entry into Beijing.

“If they really want to do something, do it quickly and immediately, please. While diplomacy is based on reciprocity, we will not welcome them to China. Simple and fair enough,” the embassy said.

Earlier, the embassy claimed that Jing’s statement was merely taken out of context.

Jing made the comment to the media after Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro described China as a “troublemaker” in the region, mimicking the words of Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesperson against Manila.

The Philippines and China have long been embroiled in a maritime row over Beijing’s sweeping claims in almost the entire South China Sea, including areas that overlap with the WPS.

China has never honored the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated Beijing’s nine-dash line claims over the vast majority of the SCS, asserting that it has no legal basis under international law.

Recently, the Chinese embassy expanded its claims to rights and jurisdiction in the waters off Batanes, drawing sharp pushback from Manila.