The Chinese Embassy in Manila issued a sharp response Wednesday to Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros’ call for Beijing to “apologize” before engaging in dialogue, saying it would have to carefully weigh whether to deal with the senator at all.
“Even if this individual (Sen. Hontiveros) were to apologize to China for all her past anti-China remarks and actions, we would need to carefully consider whether to engage with her,” embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng said in a social media post.
“After all, you can’t wake up someone who is pretending to be asleep,” Ji added.
The statement followed Hontiveros’ declaration that she would not attend a dialogue with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan, insisting that China should first acknowledge alleged wrongdoing before extending such invitations.
“And para sa akin, kahit sa interpersonal relationship, pareho ang prinsipyo sa international relationships. Kung may sinabi kang mali, wag mong laktawan ‘yung step na i-acknowledge mo ‘yung maling sinabi mo, mag-sorry ka, and magsimula kang gumawa ng amends, bago ka magyaya ng meeting,” she told reporters.
On February 11, Ambassador Jing invited local officials to a dialogue amid tensions sparked by Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela’s lecture titled “Why China remains to be bully?” which used caricatures of the Chinese president.
The dispute escalated further after the Senate adopted a resolution censuring the embassy’s remarks against Filipino officials defending the country’s position on the West Philippine Sea.
Hontiveros is not the only senator reluctant to meet with the embassy. On February 16, Senator Kiko Pangilinan, author of the resolution, also expressed hesitation, citing distrust from past encounters.
“Kung ‘le-lektyuran’ lang nila ang mga Senador tungkol sa diplomasya eh huwag nalang at maghanap nalang sila ng ibang kausap,” Pangilinan said.
Meanwhile, on Monday, spokesperson Ji met separately with Senator Erwin Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro in a dialogue arranged by the agency, distinct from the ambassador’s earlier invitation.