MANILA — Malacañang on Friday declined to ask Beijing to replace its ambassador to Manila, even as diplomatic tensions flare over the West Philippine Sea and calls mount in the Senate for a change in China’s envoy.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not interfere in China’s prerogative to appoint its diplomatic representative, stressing that the matter rests solely with Beijing despite escalating exchanges between Chinese officials and Philippine authorities.
“Ang hindi gagawin ng Pangulo ang mag-initiate na, ‘Ayaw ko ang ambassador na ito.’ Rerespetutin natin kung sino ang itinatalaga ng China. Kung nakikita nila na nagiging cause ito nang argumento, nasa China po ‘yan na mag-decide,” Castro said.
Her statement came after at least two senators called for the replacement of Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan following a series of public rebukes issued by the Chinese Embassy against Philippine officials asserting the country’s maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Earlier this week, the Senate adopted a resolution criticizing the Chinese Embassy for its statements against Filipino officials. In a retaliatory move, China barred 16 officials from Kalayaan, Palawan — including restricting access to Hong Kong and Macao — after the municipality declared Jing persona non grata.
Castro emphasized that while tensions persist, diplomacy remains the preferred path forward.
“Meron tayong freedom of expression. Kung nagsasalita ‘yung China, maaari ring magsalita ‘yung nasa Pilipinas. So ang maganda dito, hangga’t maaari, gumamit nang diplomasya,” she said. “Dapat pareho lang. Respetuhan lang.”
Jing, for his part, appealed for dialogue amid the growing rift, warning that confrontations could cause long-term damage to bilateral relations.
“One may easily win a confrontation with a smaller neighbor but you hurt your relations with the neighbor for a long, long time. So nobody want to resort to force. Nobody wants to fight with each other,” Jing said during a Chinese New Year event.
“That’s why the Chinese side always advocates dialogue. Let’s sit down. Let’s talk. Let’s find ways to manage differences,” he added.
In the same briefing, Castro also dismissed suggestions that Malacañang should restrain Philippine Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela, who has been vocal about alleged Chinese incursions and recently shared a caricature of Chinese President Xi Jinping during a public forum.
“Kung ang sinasabi naman niya ay hindi polisiya kundi mga operasyon at ito naman ay hindi lumalabag sa batas, hindi naman dapat rendahan, di ba? Kasi kung ang pinagtatanggol naman niya ay karapatan nang Pilipinas, not going beyond the laws, ‘di siya dapat pigilan,” she said.
“Basta ang bilin ng Pangulo, ‘wag tayong lalabag sa nasa batas, nasa rules, kung ano ‘yung protocol, ano ‘yung diplomasya. Wag tayong lalabag dun.”/PN
