Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan (right) and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro Photo: VCG

Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan made strong demarches to Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Ma. Theresa Lazaro over the Philippine anti-China politicians' smear and slander against China, according to a release from the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines on Monday. 

Ambassador Jing on Monday met with Lazaro at request, making strong demarches over the recent remarks of Philippine officials and politicians which take things out of context and constitute smear and slander against the Chinese side, the release said. 

The Chinese envoy said that he recently has been invited to the Second Diliman Dialogue and delivered a key-note speech. During the coffee break, he took an ambush interview by the local media. His key point is "separate" regarding the handling of China-Philippines relations. That means, adopt a differentiated approach to handle the problems of various sectors, based on their own merits instead of linking one to another. 

The two sides should enhance dialogue, manage differences and deepen cooperation, create more good stories and good news, Jing said. "Let the good aspects prevail over bad ones. Otherwise we may easily fall into the situation of countermeasures and retaliation."

However, the DFA statement claims that the remarks of the Chinese ambassador seem to convey a thinly veiled "threat". While expressing explicit and vivid disagreement to DFA's claims, Jing provided with an example that "What is threat? If you don't follow me, I will hurt you. This is threat."

Jing noted that his point is despite China's capacity, the Chinese side does not have the intention to use force. Because we are friends and close neighbors. There is no need to resort to force.

Peace is hard-won in this region. We should cherish the peace. This is not called "threat", but the effort to uphold peace, he noted. 

On maritime disputes, China has exercised great restraint. However, the Philippines should not take it as weakness, and further challenge our patience regardless of boundary and bottom line, the Chinese envoy said, who also expressed the hope that Philippine side will fully and accurately understand China's position and views, and avoid selective quotation, over-interpretation and over-reaction, according to the release. 

Jing further elaborated on some of the "troublemakers" in the bilateral relations. 

The Chinese side fully agrees that "the business of diplomacy requires tact and restraint in order to create space for discourse, dialogue and engagement." However, when Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gibo Teodoro cut off the communication channel between our two militaries for three years, and announce loudly that he has no intention to restore; when he stormed into the factory with armed forces to arrest innocent Chinese workers; when he joined foreign forces to attack and smear Chinese-language education and forced 180 teachers to leave the Philippines; when he accused China as "troublemaker" in the region, is that what you call "diplomacy, prudence, and restraint"? Jing questioned. 

Jing keeps on questioning that when some anti-China politicians and officials deliberately smear and attack China and Chinese leaders; when anti-China forces sent 5 coffins to the embassy and Chinatown; when the uniformed Philippine personnel claim China as "the biggest threat", has the Philippines shown any basic respect to your close neighbor with millennium-friendship?

Jing said that we do not see any "professionalism" and "restrain" when the Philippine side has carried out at least 10 infringement activities and provocations at sea in the recent one month, which was more than doubled; when some anti-China politicians keep threatening to declare him "persona non grata" and push through anti-China resolutions. 

The Chinese diplomat also emphasized that the Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, adding that the Philippine side recently has continued to make negative moves on Taiwan-related matters. The Chinese side is highly concerned and has lodged solemn representations over this. If the Philippine side does not respect China's core concerns, how can it expect the reciprocal respect from China? Jing asked. 

The Chinese envoy also named some Philippine politicians in the release including Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jay Tarriela, a spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, as well as some senators and congressmen and congresswomen, who have blatantly launched waves of campaigns to attack and smear China. 

They are either government officials or elected legislators, can the DFA argue that they do not represent the Philippine government's position? Jing asked. 

The Philippine side has expressed the wish to reset our bilateral relations several times. What's exactly the China policy of the Philippines? What has been done on the Philippine side? When bad things keep occurring and really hurting China-Philippines relations, where is the diplomatic manner the Philippines keeps talking about? The Chinese envoy raised a series of questions. 

Jing also stressed in the release that that mutual respect and win-win cooperation is a two-way lane. The Chinese Embassy serves as a bridge for promoting friendship and cooperation between the two countries, and also as a fortress in safeguarding China's national interests and dignity, he said. 

No one should expect the Chinese Embassy to keep silent in the face of smear and attack against China, Jing said. 

"Our bilateral relations are at a very sensitive and complicated juncture. We urge the Philippine side to earnestly respect China's core interests and concerns, take necessary measures immediately to restrain those anti-China politicians and ill-intentioned forces from dragging our bilateral relations into the dangerous situation of confrontation," the Chinese ambassador said. 

Global Times