Manila urges restraint on calls to expel China envoys
By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
PHILIPPINE officials cautioned against moves to expel Chinese diplomats, saying such action should be treated as a last resort as Manila seeks to manage rising tensions with Beijing through diplomatic channels.
Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said on Thursday that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) views the declaration of Chinese Embassy personnel as persona non grata as an “option of last resort,” underscoring the administration’s preference for dialogue and consultation despite growing political pressure at home.
“While it is within the remit of the DFA, such action is an option of last resort, second only to the downgrading of relations, when diplomatic relations with a certain country have so seriously fractured that no intervening remedy can stabilize interaction and engagement,” she told reporters, quoting a DFA statement.
Such a step, she added, carries significant risks, including the possibility of reciprocal action by the other country, which could further strain political, economic and people-to-people ties.
Ms. Castro said the DFA has taken note of resolutions filed in both chambers of Congress seeking to declare certain Chinese Embassy officials persona non grata, as well as a similar move by the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan targeting China’s ambassador.
The Philippines and China have faced months of heightened friction, driven by overlapping claims in the South China Sea and a series of maritime confrontations that have hardened rhetoric on both sides.
Calls for tougher action against Beijing have gained traction among lawmakers and local officials, reflecting public anger over incidents involving Philippine vessels and Chinese coast guard and maritime militia ships.
The DFA, Ms. Castro said, remains in direct communication with Beijing on bilateral and international issues affecting the Philippines and continues to pursue national interests through diplomatic engagement.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is aware of the proposals and exchanges between Philippine and Chinese officials and remains in close contact with Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro.
She said the DFA’s position reflects the President’s own approach as the country’s chief architect of foreign policy. “There can be firm action alongside diplomacy,” Ms. Castro said, signaling that restraint does not preclude stronger responses if circumstances warrant them.
On Wednesday, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said Ambassador Jing Quan would promptly leave the Philippines if declared persona non grata by Mr. Marcos.
Embassy spokesman Ji Lingpeng said the ambassador would depart “with immense pride and honor” if asked to go and insisted that any expulsions would not deter Beijing from defending its position.
Mr. Ji added that he and the embassy’s media affairs team would stand or leave together if individuals were named persona non grata, responding to a Senate resolution signed by 15 senators that criticized recent embassy statements as inconsistent with diplomatic norms.
Separately, the municipal council of Kalayaan in Palawan — a strategic outpost within the disputed South China Sea — passed a resolution dated Jan. 27 declaring Mr. Jing persona non grata within its jurisdiction.
The move is largely symbolic and carries no legal authority to expel a foreign diplomat, a power that rests solely with the National Government, but it highlights intensifying local backlash against China.
Kalayaan administers parts of the contested Spratly Islands and serves as the Philippines’ frontline community in the South China Sea, making it a focal point of domestic sentiment tied to sovereignty and maritime rights.
Diplomatic analysts said statements from the Executive branch carry particular weight, as the authority to declare a foreign diplomat persona non grata lies exclusively with the President, acting through the DFA.
Josue Raphael J. Cortez, a diplomacy lecturer at De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, said Congress and local governments might issue resolutions or recommendations but do not have the final say on actions that could carry wide diplomatic and economic consequences.
Mr. Cortez said the Palace position is consistent with the Philippines’ longstanding policy of seeking the peaceful settlement of disputes and keeping communication channels open, even amid sharp disagreements.
“Our bilateral ties are not merely shaped and defined by a specific issue area but are a nexus of politics, economics and cultural aspects,” he said via Facebook Messenger.
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