Local officials of Kalayaan, Palawan, have been declared persona non grata by China and banned from entering the country, including Hong Kong and Macau, following the municipality’s earlier move against Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan.
In a statement on Tuesday, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng said the action was taken “based on the principle of reciprocity,” citing resolutions issued by Kalayaan in 2023 and 2026.
“The so-called ‘Kalayaan Municipality’ council of the Philippines adopted resolutions… declaring the Chinese ambassador to be a persona non grata. Based on the principle of reciprocity, the individuals involved in fabricating the said resolutions are not welcome to enter China (including Hong Kong and Macao),” Ji said.
Officials affected by the ban include Mayor Beltzasar Alindogan, Vice Mayor Maurice Albayda, and 15 municipal councilors.
Kalayaan’s local government first declared China’s then-envoy Huang Xilian persona non grata in 2023.
Jing Quan previously remarked he would leave the country “with immense pride and honor” if named persona non grata by Philippine authorities, following the filing of Senate Resolution 256 criticizing the Chinese Embassy’s statements against Filipino officials opposing Beijing’s actions in the West Philippine Sea.