Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte greets Jing Quan, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, during the envoy’s visit on Monday, January 26, in Davao City. Photo courtesy of Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte/Facebook.
Malacañang on Wednesday declined to comment on Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte’s recent meetings with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan, following Beijing’s criticism of Manila’s stance on West Philippine Sea incursions.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Palace would remain silent on the matter.
“Wala pong magagawa ang Pangulo sa anumang ginagawa ng anumang mayor provided naman ito ay hindi labag sa batas,” Castro added.
Duterte said in a social media post that the Chinese envoy spent two days in Davao City “to strengthen bilateral relations and local-level cooperation.”
Before meeting Mayor Duterte, the ambassador also met with Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, reiterating China’s support for the Philippines’ independent foreign policy.
Duterte, president of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP), belongs to a party that maintains party-to-party relations with the Communist Party of China (CCP) and has sent representatives to China for training.
Diplomatic engagement between foreign envoys and local politicians is common, with Chinese consular officials previously meeting officials in Cebu, La Union, and Ilocos Norte in 2025.