MANILA — Senator Risa Hontiveros asserted on Friday, October 16, that Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan should issue an apology or face being declared persona non grata following his recent remarks concerning Beijing’s military capability.
Hontiveros issued the call after Jing stated publicly that China could easily triumph over the Philippine military through force if it chose to do so, though he claimed Beijing would refrain from taking such action in the West Philippine Sea.
Characterizing the envoy’s declarations as veiled intimidation, the senator condemned the statements as a form of indirect pressure.
“I strongly denounce the threats made by the Chinese ambassador. His statements are gray zone aggression in diplomatic form, meant to intimidate and coerce while stopping just short of war,” Hontiveros said.
She stressed that the country remains steadfast in safeguarding its sovereign rights through legitimate legal and diplomatic channels, refusing to bow to external coercion.
“Let it be clear to China that no threat will make us surrender what is rightfully ours. The Philippines has only done what every law-abiding member of the community of nations would do — defend our rights through legal and diplomatic means,” she added.
Furthermore, Hontiveros maintained that a simple diplomatic reprimand or summoning falls short of a proper response to a hostile envoy, emphasizing that formal accountability is necessary.
“An ambassador who threatens his host country has crossed a line. Summoning him is not enough. The Philippine government must demand a formal retraction and apology from Beijing. If none comes, the ambassador should be declared persona non grata,” she stressed.
To broaden the diplomatic response, the lawmaker recommended that the administration formally bring the matter before multilateral bodies, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
“When one nation is threatened, every member-state that values international law is threatened too,” Hontiveros noted, adding that “China must be held accountable for these words, as she must be for her actions in our waters.”