Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian

In response to a statement from Manila on China's ethnic unity policy, a Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that this so-called statement, full of disinformation and smears designed to interfere in China's internal affairs, constitutes a political provocation of an extremely malign nature, to which China expresses firm opposition.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks in response to a question regarding a statement issued by the Philippines' Department of National Defense, which claimed it "firmly rejects" recent commentary from China questioning the Philippines' legitimate security oversight of foreign-linked cultural and academic exchange programs. In the statement, the department expressed grave concerns about "the institutional risk posed by foreign legal frameworks," and brought up China's ethnic unity mandates, alleging it aims to "assert extraterritorial reach over individuals outside China's jurisdiction."

The facts are crystal clear for all to see. A small handful of anti-China forces in the Philippines have engaged in massive political and public opinion manipulation, trying every means to mix right and wrong, in order to seek selfish political gains and cover up the Philippines' infringement activities at sea. Their attempts will not succeed, Lin said.

The Global Times has learned that certain anti‑China forces, seizing on the recent moves by the Philippine Department of National Defense, have been pressing various government agencies to impose additional layers of procedural scrutiny on local Filipino Chinese community, Chinese-language education providers and Chinese-language media outfits. Against such pressure, a widespread sense of fear has emerged among them, with some of which choosing to remain silent to protect themselves. 

Moreover, the Philippine authorities that had previously been receptive to people‑to‑people and cultural exchanges with China have, under the sway of domestic political manipulation, also made the approval procedures for cooperative projects more cumbersome. This has objectively created further impediments to normal bilateral cultural and people‑to‑people cooperation, Zheng said. 

This small handful of individuals cooked up this so-called statement, issued in the name of a governmental department, to take hostage and disrupt China-Philippines relations in violation of the Philippines' commitments made in recent diplomatic communication, said spokesperson Lin, noting "We once again urge these individuals to stop making provocations and creating trouble, and stop attacking and smearing China. Otherwise, they will bear the consequence for their despicable acts."

"We'd like to stress once again that the implementation of the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law provides better protection for all ethnic groups' lawful rights and interests, and will serve as a solid legal safeguard for the cause of ethnic unity and progress," Lin said.