World · East Asia & Pacific · 3 hrs ago
Philippines protests Chinese envoy’s remarks on use of force
Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan said China could easily win if it used force, while saying Beijing would choose peace.
He made the remarks to reporters in Manila after being asked about criticism of China by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Philippine government called the words threatening and undiplomatic and urged diplomats to use greater care in public statements.
China and the Philippines have long disputed territory in the South China Sea, where tensions and confrontations at sea have grown in recent years.
The dispute involves a key global trade route claimed in large part by China, while the Philippines and several other parties also claim parts of the waters.
China’s embassy said Manila had taken the remarks out of context and urged the Philippine foreign affairs department to act responsibly.
Marcos said he wanted to understand exactly what Jing meant, while the Philippines called for language that would protect trust and dialogue.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his government criticised remarks by Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan, calling them a threat.
Jing said China could easily win if it used force but would not choose force and loved peace.
The remarks were made on Thursday on the sidelines of a forum in Manila.
The dispute comes amid longstanding territorial tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.
China’s Embassy said the Philippine foreign affairs department had taken Jing’s remarks out of context.
- Who
- Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his government.
- What
- Jing said China could easily win if it used force, prompting Philippine protests that the remarks sounded like a threat.
- When
- Jing spoke on Thursday; Marcos and his government responded on Friday.
- Where
- Manila, Philippines, at a forum on the South China Sea.
- Why
- The remarks came amid the countries’ longstanding territorial dispute in the South China Sea.
Philippine government
Chinese Embassy
Meaning of Jing's remarks
Philippine government
Marcos said the remarks sounded like a threat and were not very diplomatic.
Chinese Embassy
The embassy said the Philippine foreign affairs department had taken the statement out of context through selective quotation and overinterpretation.
Diplomatic response
Philippine government
The Philippines called for diplomats to take greater care with public language to avoid eroding trust.
Chinese Embassy
China urged the Philippine foreign affairs department to act responsibly and avoid pushing ties into a dangerous and uncertain situation.
Jing Quan made his remarks to reporters on the sidelines of a Manila forum.
Marcos described the remarks as sounding like a threat, and the Philippine government protested.
- Chinese ambassador
- Jing Quan
- Philippine president
- Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
- Remarks made
- Thursday, on the sidelines of a Manila forum
- Philippine response
- Government protest on Friday
- Disputed waters
- South China Sea
7 sources
Philippines protests Chinese envoy's remarks in South China Sea dispute
Envoy says China could ‘easily win’ conflict as Manila claims it is ‘thinly veiled threat’
比に「武力で簡単に勝てる」 マルコス大統領は反発―中国大使
中国「戦えば容易に勝利」
Philippines hits back at Chinese envoy over 'thinly veiled threat' of force
中国大使、フィリピンと戦えば「楽勝」だが武力は選ばず 「中国のような隣国を持てて幸運に思うべき」（ＡＦＰ＝時事）
What people are saying
If we want to use force, we may easily win. But no, we will not choose force and we love peace
very much to me like a threat and it is not a very diplomatic statement to be made
a thinly veiled threat of the use of force
China-Philippines relations are currently at an extremely sensitive stage