Following the exchange of harsh words between some government officials and Chinese envoys, Beijing’s top diplomat in Manila has urged the Philippines to talk with China in order to find ways to manage differences while admitting that winning a confrontation with a smaller neighbor risks losing a long-term relationship.
In his remarks at a recent Lunar New Year reception, Chinese ambassador Jing Quan suggested that the two sides sit down and discuss a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the current issue of claims in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“My own reflection is that, in recent times, we have not been meeting each other enough.
Political dialogue has at times nearly come to a standstill. This situation must change and it must change quickly,” Jing pointed out.
“One may easily win a confrontation with a smaller neighbor, but you hurt your relations with the neighbor for a long, long time. Nobody wants to resort to force, nobody wants to fight with each other. That hurt our relationship for a long time. That is why China’s side always advocates dialogue. Let’s sit down. Let’s talk. Let’s find ways to manage differences,” he added.
China’s top envoy noted that meeting face to face could help make things work as the dialogue between the two countries resumed in Cebu last month after over a year.
“Eventually we can have more political dialogues,” he stressed even as he hit “certain noises” that spread “false narratives, smear China and stoke confrontation.”
“We will continue expanding practical cooperation – using positive momentum to offset those noise, until such distortions find no audience and no believers,” he asserted.
Prior to Jing’s call for dialogue, the Philippine Senate approved on Monday, February 9, a resolution condemning Chinese embassy officials’ undiplomatic remarks against Philippine officials who were speaking out on WPS issues and defending the Philippine Sovereignty and territorial rights.
However, the Chinese Embassy tagged the Senate resolution as a political stunt, accusing Filipino legislators of repeatedly resorting to “threats” and “intimidation.”
To this it retaliated by banning 16 people from Kalayaan, including local officials led by the town’s mayor Beltzasar Alindogan.
Kalayaan is the country’s only municipality located inside the WPS and is considered the frontline of Philippine sovereignty in the area.
Expressing support for officials of Kalayaan, interior and local government secretary Juanito Victor ‘Jonvic’ Remulla Jr. dared the Chinese government to also ban him from entering China.
Remulla stressed that the Kalayaan Group of Islands is part of the country’s territory, contrary to China’s claim that it has jurisdiction over the municipality: “We have been inhabiting it for over a century. In fact, it has its own LGU (local government unit).”