By Darryl John Esguerra
MANILA – Malacañang on Monday stressed that diplomacy between the Philippines and China must remain a “two-way street,” amid a growing exchange of sharp statements between Filipino officials and the Chinese Embassy over tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The Palace issued the statement after the Chinese Embassy warned that escalating political rhetoric against Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan and calls for his replacement could jeopardize millions of Filipino jobs.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro reiterated President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s earlier rejection of proposals to declare the Chinese envoy persona non grata.
“Ang sabi po ng Pangulo diyan… ‘No, hindi po kinakailangang palitan, (The President said, ‘No, there is no need to replace him’),” Castro said.
However, Castro stressed that rising tensions should not be attributed to only one side.
“Ang pag-i-escalate ng tensyon sa pagitan po ng China at Pilipinas, hindi po ito dapat na nagmumula sa isang bansa (The escalation of tensions between China and the Philippines should not come from just one country),” she said.
She added that maintaining “friendly discussion” and “healthy dialogue” requires effort from both Manila and Beijing to ensure mutual respect.
The remarks come amid an intensifying war of words between Philippine officials and the Chinese Embassy, following repeated maritime confrontations in the WPS.
Over the past year, Philippine authorities have reported incidents involving water cannoning, dangerous maneuvers, shadowing, and blocking operations by Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels against Philippine resupply and patrol missions within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
China continues to assert its sweeping claim over nearly the entire South China Sea, a claim that overlaps with the Philippines’ maritime entitlements under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
In 2016, an arbitral tribunal in The Hague invalidated China’s expansive claims, ruling that the nine-dash line has no legal basis under international law. Beijing has rejected the ruling, while Manila has repeatedly affirmed that the decision is final and binding.
Despite the tensions at sea and the increasingly sharp diplomatic exchanges, Malacañang maintained that engagement remains essential.
“Dapat ito po ay dalawang bansa ang nagpupursige para magkaroon po ng mutual respect sa bawat isa (Both countries must strive to achieve mutual respect for one another),” Castro said.
The Palace said that while dialogue continues, the Philippines remains firm in asserting its sovereign rights and maritime entitlements in accordance with international law. (PNA)
