MANILA – The Chinese Embassy in Manila said it will continue to counter what it called false accusations against Beijing, brushing aside proposals by some Filipino lawmakers to declare one of its officials “persona non grata.”
The reaction followed remarks by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who suggested that Chinese embassy Deputy Spokesperson Guo Wei be declared unwelcome after issuing statements critical of certain Philippine legislators.
Chinese Embassy Spokesperson Ji Lingpeng responded that such a move was unnecessary, saying lawmakers could instead target Ambassador Jing Quan, who, according to him, is ultimately responsible for all official embassy statements.
Ji said the ambassador is no stranger to political pressure, noting that Jing previously spent two decades handling United States affairs and faced “hundreds of anti-China bills or resolutions.”
“Throughout all of this, Ambassador Jing never blinked his eyes, steadfastly defending China’s interests and dignity because this is the duty and responsibility of a diplomat,” Ji said.
He stressed that only President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has the authority to request the ambassador’s departure, adding that Jing would comply immediately if such an order were issued.
Ji also said that any declaration should cover not only him but the entire media and public diplomacy team of the embassy.
“As a team, we stay or leave, together. That said, rest assured that even if the embassy were to be closed, we would continue, without hesitation, to push back slanders and smears against China through various channels,” he said.
He added that defending China’s position is a fundamental role of diplomats.
“This is the most basic duty of Chinese diplomats. If a diplomat cannot even do that, then what is the point of having diplomats at all?” he said.
The exchange comes amid ongoing tensions between some Philippine lawmakers and Chinese officials over issues linked to the South China Sea, where Beijing continues to assert sweeping claims despite an international ruling that invalidated its position.
The disputed waters have remained a flashpoint, with repeated encounters between Chinese and Philippine vessels in recent months./PN
