MANILA, Philippines — Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña on Saturday called for the expulsion of Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan after the Chinese Embassy dared Philippine lawmakers to declare its envoy persona non grata amid a diplomatic row over his remarks about using force against the Philippines.
“Napakayabang na bwisita. Hanggang kailan ba natin ito titiisin? Dapat nang paalisin itong Chinese ambassador,” Cendaña said in a post on X.
(What an arrogant guest. How long must we put up with this? This Chinese ambassador should be expelled.)
Cendaña was responding to a Facebook post by the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Friday challenging senators and House members who had raised the possibility of declaring Jing persona non grata.
“Some senators and house representatives are talking about declaring the Chinese ambassador persona non grata. Is this threat or coercion?” the embassy said.
“But anyway, just do it. Otherwise, STOP BLUFFING,” it added.
The exchange followed criticism of Jing’s remarks on Thursday, when he said China could easily defeat the Philippines if it chose to use force but insisted that Beijing preferred peace.
“If we want to use force, we may easily win. But no, we will not choose force and we love peace,” Jing told reporters when asked about Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s description of China as a troublemaker in the region.
On Friday, Sen. Risa Hontiveros urged the government to demand a formal retraction and apology from Beijing, saying Jing should be declared persona non grata if none was forthcoming.
She described the ambassador’s remarks as “gray zone aggression in diplomatic form,” saying they were intended to intimidate and coerce the Philippines.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian likewise called on Jing to apologize, describing his remarks as undiplomatic and uncalled for.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo, vice chairperson of the Senate committee on foreign relations, also said the Philippines would not back down in the face of threats.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday that Jing’s remarks sounded like a threat and warranted a discussion with the Chinese envoy.
The Chinese Embassy later welcomed the prospect of a meeting between Marcos and Jing, saying the ambassador looked forward to discussing important and sensitive issues with the President.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had earlier criticized Jing’s statement as a “thinly veiled threat of the use of force,” saying diplomats should exercise greater restraint in their public remarks.
The Chinese Embassy rejected the criticism, accusing the DFA of selectively quoting and misinterpreting the ambassador’s statement. It maintained that Jing had emphasized China’s preference for peace.
The latest diplomatic row comes amid continuing tensions between Manila and Beijing over the West Philippine Sea, where Chinese coast guard and naval vessels have repeatedly confronted Philippine ships during maritime operations.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea despite a 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its sweeping claims to historic rights within its nine-dash line. Beijing has refused to recognize the ruling. /gsg
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