Why Philippines is muzzling anti-China rhetoric ahead of crucial Asean talks

The Philippine government is attempting to curb anti-China rhetoric as tensions with China rise ahead of a crucial Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) released a statement on Sunday stating that public criticism of China could undermine diplomatic efforts. The statement emphasized that "in high-stakes diplomacy, a disciplined and coherent national voice remains essential to advancing our national interests."

The tension between the two countries stems from disputed waters in the South China Sea, where China claims nearly the entire waterway and rejects an arbitral decision in 2016 that ruled in favor of the Philippines as illegal. Recent heated exchanges include Chinese embassy officials in Manila clashing with Philippine uniformed services and officials.

Last month, several Philippine senators called for the Chinese ambassador to be declared persona non grata after he suggested Beijing could "easily win" any confrontation with Manila. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called the ambassador's remarks a "threat" and "not very diplomatic."

The DFA's statement also highlighted that "under the constitution, the president is the chief architect of Philippine foreign policy" and all government officials should align with this. The statement was released after Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro and her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, had a "frank, pragmatic and constructive" call on November 3 to maintain bilateral relations ahead of major meetings.

The timing of the DFA's statement is significant as the Philippines is the chair of the Asean and host of its November 16 summit. Observers suggest that Manila is attempting to appear as a steady, unifying host rather than a battleground for bilateral friction.

Analysts point to a possible "good cop, bad cop" dynamic at play, with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. drawing hard security red lines, while President Marcos, as the chief architect of foreign policy, must keep diplomatic channels open and manage the broader bilateral relationship. This division of labor is seen as a deliberate strategy to contain the rhetoric and ensure the summit focuses on shared priorities such as economic integration and finalizing a substantive South China Sea Code of Conduct.