President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally does not want to see any envoy or representative of other countries declared persona non grata, while continuing to respect the freedom of lawmakers to express their views regarding Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan following his recent remarks.
“Alam natin ang pananaw ng Pangulo, hindi po niya nanaisin na magkaroon ng ganitong klaseng pagdedeklara kahit kanino pa man na representative ng ibang bansa dito sa ating bansa,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said on Monday.
“Kung anuman ang opinyon ng ibang mga lider, mga senador, iginagalang po natin ang kanilang mga saloobin o kanilang mga opinyon at nararamdaman,” Castro also said.
She explained that the President prefers to resolve issues through diplomatic means, especially since any actions or statements he makes may impact the country and the Filipino people.
“Kaya hindi nagiging agresibo ang Pangulo sa kanyang mga pananaw patungkol sa anumang relasyon at pakikipag-ugnayan sa ibang bansa,” Castro said.
The calls to declare the ambassador persona non grata emerged after Jing remarked that China could easily win against the Philippines but chose not to use force because it prefers peace.
President Marcos initially stated he wants to talk with Jing directly regarding his statements, noting that they appeared to sound like a threat.
Castro noted that there is no details yet regarding when Marcos will meet with the Chinese envoy.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) summoned and met with Jing on Monday, where Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro told the ambassador that his recent statement was “provocative and unacceptable, and does not contribute to creating understanding.”
Lazaro said such language aggravates an already sensitive bilateral atmosphere and undermines shared efforts by both nations to build mutual understanding and cooperation.
The DFA noted that Lazaro also emphasized that “sensitive issues are best addressed through established diplomatic channels and bilateral mechanisms, which preserve space for dialogue and engagement.”
“The Department remains committed to candid dialogue and constructive engagement, in line with its mandate and the direction of the President. It will keep open lines of communication with China and work to stabilize bilateral relations, especially in non-sensitive areas, while firmly upholding the country’s consistent positions on important issues,” the DFA added.
Meanwhile, regarding upcoming international travel, Castro said there are no changes to the President’s scheduled trip to China for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen next month.
“Wala pong nababanggit na magkakaroon ng pagbabago ng schedule, dahil sa Pangulo po, ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa anumang bansa kasama ang China ay walang aggression,” she said.
“Uulitin ko po, nasa diplomatikong pamamaraan. So, hindi po natin nakikitaan na hindi itutuloy ng Pangulo, ang schedule niya, dahil isa ito sa magandang paraan upang mas maging maganda pa ang pakikipag-usap ng Pangulo at ng liderato ng China,” Castro also said.