Philippines pushes calm diplomacy as sea dispute with China deepens

By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter and Erika Mae P. Sinaking

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday urged the Chinese Embassy in Manila to respond calmly and professionally to statements made by Philippine officials, as a war of words between the two sides continues over tensions in the South China Sea.

DFA Maritime Affairs spokesman Rogelio E. Villanueva, Jr. said the embassy should remain mindful of diplomatic norms and mutual respect in its public statements.

“We urge the Chinese Embassy to be constructive in its statements towards a healthy dialogue despite major differences, with a view to advance the overall bilateral relationship,” he said in a statement.

He added that diplomatic engagement should remain grounded in professionalism, particularly amid disagreements on sensitive issues.

The DFA values candid and vigorous debate with foreign counterparts on important issues, consistent with the Philippines’ democratic tradition, he added.

The Chinese Embassy did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

The DFA statement follows an escalating verbal exchange between Philippine and Chinese officials over their opposing positions on the South China Sea, with each side accusing the other of fueling tensions in the disputed waters.

The row has also spilled into the Philippine Senate, where lawmakers denounced Beijing for dismissing a Senate resolution that criticized statements made by Chinese Embassy officials against Philippine officials and uniformed personnel.

Last week, the Senate adopted Senate Resolution No. 256, which condemned what it described as “undiplomatic” remarks by Chinese Embassy personnel following weeks of heated debate.

Senator Francis Pancratius N. Pangilinan, who authored the resolution, called on the DFA to take appropriate diplomatic action to protect the country’s dignity.

The DFA must take necessary measures to ensure that relations with other states are conducted in accordance with international law and established principles of state relations, Mr. Pangilinan said in a statement.

He said the Chinese Embassy’s response to an official act of the Philippine Senate was “undiplomatic and boorish,” arguing that it ran counter to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

For her part, Senator Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel said Senate resolutions are legitimate tools for lawmakers to express concern over actions affecting Philippine laws, sovereignty and national interests.

“We can file 100 resolutions, and the situation won’t improve because the real problem facing the Philippines isn’t the Chinese Embassy descending to the level of the common internet troll,” she said in a statement.

“The real problem is the People’s Liberation Army Navy, Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia’s coercive behavior in the West Philippine Sea,” she added.

Ms. Hontiveros added that despite tensions, the Philippines remains open to cooperation, exchanges and the peaceful settlement of disputes with China.

Separately, the DFA also criticized Beijing’s decision to bar officials from Kalayaan Municipality from entering Chinese territory, including Hong Kong and Macau, saying the move undermines bilateral relations.

“While preventing the entry of foreign nationals into their territory is a country’s sovereign prerogative, such actions do not contribute to fostering good and vibrant bilateral relations,” the agency said.

It added that restrictions affecting local officials weaken efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties, which both governments have committed to promote.

Officials from Kalayaan Municipality were barred after the local council declared Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian persona non grata, citing Chinese actions in the West Philippine Sea.

Tensions between Manila and Beijing have intensified amid repeated confrontations at sea. Philippine authorities have reported incidents involving Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels, including close-range maneuvers and the use of water cannons near features Manila considers part of its exclusive economic zone.

‘FIRM BUT DIPLOMATIC’
China has continued to assert its claims in the South China Sea despite a 2016 ruling by a United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal that voided its sweeping claims. China has rejected the decision.

Malacañang on Wednesday said the Philippine government respects freedom of expression while maintaining a firm yet diplomatic approach in its dealings with China.

“The President respects freedom of the press,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing in Filipino.

“If China has freedom to express its views, the same applies to any Filipino and to whatever the Senate has expressed,” she said.

Ms. Castro reiterated President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s position on relations with Beijing, describing it as “firm but diplomatic.”

The Chinese Embassy earlier condemned Senate Resolution No. 256, which criticized its statements and urged measures to protect Philippine dignity, adding to the strain in already tense bilateral relations.