By LYJAH TIFFANY BONZO , GMA News
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The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) on Saturday cautioned against declaring Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan persona non grata, warning that the move could prompt reciprocal action against the Philippine ambassador to Beijing.
In a social media update by GMA News reporter Vonne Aquino, FFCCCII president Victor Lim urged the Chinese Embassy and the Philippine government to engage in dialogue and ease tensions instead of trading accusations online.
Lim also warned that the dispute could affect trade relations between the Philippines and China.
“Sana ’wag… calm down na lang para our economy will be moving forward,” Lim said.
(I hope they don’t. They should just calm down so our economy can continue moving forward.)
On Tuesday, a Senate resolution was filed urging President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to declare Jing persona non grata or ask the Chinese government to recall him.
Calls for the ambassador’s expulsion intensified after he said Beijing could “easily win” if it resorted to force against the Philippines.
In response to the Senate resolution, the Chinese Embassy in Manila warned of reciprocal action if its diplomats were declared unwelcome.
“Since you don’t welcome us, we don’t welcome you, either. Fair enough,” the embassy said in a Facebook post.
Malacañang has deferred to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on the matter, noting that Marcos does not favor declaring foreign envoys persona non grata.
“Hindi rin nais ng Pangulo itong mga pangyayaring palitan ng mga maaanghang na salita. Nais ng Pangulo, again, maganda na relasyon,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said earlier this week.
(The President also does not want these exchanges of harsh words. The President wants good relations.)
The Palace also maintained that the President and his administration consider relations between the Philippines and China to be good.
The DFA summoned Jing on Monday to convey the Philippines’ “serious concern and strong objection” to his remarks. —VBL, GMA News