Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over 'threat'

Manila, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine government summoned the Chinese ambassador on Monday to express strong objection to remarks they deemed a threat of force, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro conveyed the Philippine government's serious concern to Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan after his statement on Thursday.

China and the Philippines have a long-standing dispute over South China Sea territories, but recent years have seen an escalation in tensions, with confrontations at sea and heated verbal exchanges between the two nations under the leadership of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. China asserts its sovereignty over the entire waterway, a crucial global trade route, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan each claim specific sections of the waters.

Some Philippine legislators have called for the expulsion or censure of the ambassador, who has faced criticism for his recent comments. There was no immediate response from the Chinese government, but the embassy in Manila disputed the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department's interpretation of Ambassador Jing's remarks, stating that they were taken out of context and overinterpreted.

During a Manila forum on Thursday, Jing was asked about Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.'s remarks, which referred to China as a "troublemaker" in the region. Jing dismissed Teodoro's comments as "nonsense" and emphasized that the Philippines should be grateful for China's presence as a neighbor. He added that if force were to be used, China would easily prevail, but that the Philippines should be fortunate to have China as a neighbor.

"In this region, we enjoy peace," Jing said, contrasting it with ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Venezuela.

Foreign Secretary Lazaro informed Ambassador Jing that his statement was provocative and unacceptable, stating that it does not contribute to understanding. The Philippine government, being a democracy, values freedom of expression and a diversity of voices, and will not accept attempts by a foreign envoy to intimidate those who exercise them, according to the department in Manila.