Ejercito slams Chinese envoy’s remarks as ‘hostile,’ urges diplomacy

Senator JV Ejercito on Saturday called Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan’s remarks about China’s military superiority “aggressive” and “hostile,” saying the envoy should help improve bilateral relations as tensions over the South China Sea persist.

Jing made the remarks on Thursday after being asked about Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s description of China as a regional troublemaker. The ambassador said Beijing would prevail in a conflict but would not resort to force because it preferred peace.

“Ang ambassador dapat diplomacy,” Ejercito said in a radio interview, criticizing Jing’s statement that China could easily win if it chose to use force against the Philippines.

Ejercito said Manila should continue pursuing diplomatic solutions to its disputes with Beijing while strengthening its ability to defend its sovereignty and maritime rights.

The Philippines could not match China’s military strength, he said, but should build a credible defense posture for its armed forces and coast guard.

“Hindi natin intensyon na tapatan ang kanilang armed forces dahil hindi natin kakayanin kahit na ilang dekada pa,” Ejercito said.

He urged the Philippines to deepen security cooperation with Japan, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, and expressed hope that South Korea would take a greater role in regional security efforts.

Ejercito also sought to distinguish his criticism of Beijing’s policies from hostility toward Chinese people, saying he maintained friendships with Chinese nationals and Filipino-Chinese communities.

“What I am against is the expansionist scheme of Xi Jinping and his government,” he said, referring to the Chinese president.

During the interview, Ejercito wore a shirt bearing the words “West Philippine Sea” alongside Chinese characters that he said conveyed the message that the waters belong to the Philippines. He said he wanted Jing to understand the message.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said Jing’s choice of words appeared to convey a “thinly veiled threat” of force, while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday that the remarks sounded like a threat and warranted a direct discussion with the envoy. The Chinese Embassy said it welcomed face-to-face communication.

The Philippines and China have repeatedly clashed over competing claims in the South China Sea, a major global shipping route. Manila calls waters on the western side of its archipelago the West Philippine Sea.

In 2016, an arbitral tribunal in a case brought by the Philippines rejected the legal basis for China’s expansive claims to historic rights within its so-called nine-dash line. Beijing rejected the ruling, which Manila continues to cite in asserting its maritime rights.