Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan defended his controversial remarks on the possible use of force, accusing several Philippine officials and politicians of taking his statements out of context and undermining bilateral relations.
In a statement detailing his October 19, 2026, meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Jing said he made strong representations over what he described as “smear and slander” against China by Philippine officials and politicians.
The meeting followed the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) move to summon the Chinese envoy over remarks perceived as a threat against the Philippines amid continuing tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
Jing maintained that his comments during an interview on the sidelines of the Second Diliman Dialogue were intended to encourage a more measured approach to disputes between the two countries.
“My point is despite our capacity, we don’t have the intention to use force. Because we are friends and close neighbors. There is no need to resort to force,” he said.
“This is not called ‘threat’, but the effort to uphold peace,” the ambassador added, arguing that Manila and Beijing should strengthen dialogue, manage differences, and expand cooperation rather than resort to retaliation.
However, Jing warned that China’s restraint over maritime disputes should not be interpreted as weakness, urging the Philippines not to challenge what he described as Beijing’s boundaries and bottom lines.
The Chinese envoy also questioned the Philippine government’s calls for diplomatic restraint, citing allegations against Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and other officials, as well as recent maritime incidents and proposed measures to declare him persona non grata.
Jing further raised concerns over Philippine actions involving Taiwan, describing the issue as central to China’s national interests.
He stressed that mutual respect must be reciprocal and called on Manila to take measures against what he described as anti-China politicians and groups.
“We urge the Philippine side to earnestly respect China’s core interests and concerns, take necessary measures immediately to restrain those anti-China politicians and ill-intentioned forces from dragging our bilateral relations into the dangerous situation of confrontation,” Jing said.
