MANILA — Malacañang stated on Tuesday, October 20, that an apology should not be forced from Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan following his recent “threat-like” remarks.
During a Palace briefing, Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro expressed that forcing an apology defeats its purpose, noting that sincere remorse comes naturally rather than through compulsion.
”Ang pagsasalita ng ‘sorry, I’m sorry’ hindi ito pinupuwersa; ito ay nanggagaling sa puso,” Castro said.
Castro declined to elaborate further on the controversy or the Chinese Embassy’s stance that mutual respect hinges on the Philippines acknowledging China’s core interests regarding Taiwan and the West Philippine Sea, emphasizing that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) under Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro is managing the situation.
“So, hayaan na lang po muna nating gumalaw ang proseso at ang magandang pag-uusap ng representante ng China at ng Secretary of Foreign Affairs,” Castro stated.
She further cautioned against unnecessary commentary that could escalate diplomatic tensions, adding that “additional remarks can lead to more controversy.”
“Sa mga ganiyang mga detalye ipauubaya ko na lang muna kay Sec. Tess Lazaro ang mga issue sa ngayon para hindi magkaroon ng iba pang issue, nanganganak kasi kapag nagkakaroon ng ibang mga salita,” Castro explained.
“Diplomatic relationship ang isinusulong natin, so, hayaan na lang po muna natin si Sec. Tess Lazaro ang sumagot ng inyong mga katanungan,” she continued.
As of press time, the Palace confirmed there are still no developments regarding a scheduled meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Ambassador Jing.
The President previously expressed intentions to speak with the envoy to clarify statements made last week, where the diplomat remarked during a Quezon City interview that China could easily resort to military force if it chose to.
”If we want to use force, we may easily win. But no, we will not use force. You know, we love peace,” Jing was quoted as saying.