Malacañang affirmed on Tuesday that the Philippines will not impose a nickel export ban or economic sanctions against China, keeping trade relations separate from ongoing territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.
During a press briefing in Cagayan de Oro, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro dismissed suggestions of a retaliatory ban on nickel shipments from Surigao del Sur, emphasizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s diplomatic approach to foreign policy.
“Hindi po ganyan mag-isip ang ating Pangulo. Ang Pangulo, hindi po niya dinadaan sa parang magkaaway na mga bata,” Castro said. “Ang Pangulo po at ang administrasyon ay nakikipag-negotiate, nakikipag-usap sa liderato ng ibang bansa through a diplomatic manner.”
Castro highlighted that economic cooperation with Beijing operates on a separate track from sovereignty issues, noting that key defense and diplomatic officials, including Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, and Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, remain aligned on this strategy.
“Hindi po mag-iisip ang Pangulo nang ganiyang klaseng retaliation dahil alam po natin na ang bansang Tsina at ang Pilipinas ay nagkakatulungan patungkol at may kaugnayan po sa ekonomiya, trade and investment,” Castro added. “So, again ibang usapin ang pang-ekonomiya, ibang usapin din ang pagpoprotekta sa ating interes.”
The Philippines supplies 90 to 95 percent of its raw nickel ore to China, providing critical inputs for Beijing’s stainless-steel production and lithium-ion battery manufacturing industries.
Data from the World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) indicates that China imported approximately 32.12 billion kilograms of nickel ore valued at $808.6 million from the Philippines in 2024, underlining the economic weight of the bilateral trade channel despite persistent maritime friction.