Philippines hits back at Chinese envoy over 'thinly veiled threat'

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr says comments by China’s ambassador to Manila sound “very much like a threat”, escalating a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Ambassador Jing Quan told journalists on Thursday that China “may easily win” a confrontation with the Philippines, but would not use force because “we love peace”.

He was responding to a question about the Philippine defence secretary describing China as a regional “troublemaker”.

The Philippine foreign ministry called Jing’s remarks a “thinly veiled threat” of force and a “poor choice of words”, saying they were unhelpful given the countries’ already complicated relationship.

Marcos said on Friday the comments warranted a discussion with the ambassador.

The Chinese Embassy said Jing had been quoted selectively and described Manila’s reaction as an “over-interpretation”. It said relations were at “an extremely sensitive stage”.

The exchange is the latest in a series of heated disputes between China and the Philippines, a US defence ally. The two countries have clashed for years over reefs and islands in the South China Sea that lie within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, with their coast guards repeatedly squaring off.

Tensions with the Philippine defence chief have been particularly high. In June, China imposed sanctions on him over his remarks on the South China Sea, a move Manila protested as “an unfriendly act”.