Jing Quan faces expulsion calls in Philippine Senate

Two senators in Manila filed resolutions against Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan, who said China could easily win if it used force against the Philippines.

Senator Erwin Tulfo filed the first measure on Monday, after majority senators discussed the issue over the weekend. JV Ejercito, another member, had first raised the idea of a resolution against Jing Quan. Risa Hontiveros filed a second one on Tuesday.

The Senate will debate and vote on both when its plenary sessions resume on November 9.

What Jing Quan said

The envoy spoke to reporters on October 15, at a forum on China-Philippines ties. He said Filipinos should feel fortunate to have China as a neighbor. “If we want to use force, we may easily win,” he said. He added that China will not do so, because it loves peace.

Manila took the remark as a threat. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said it sounds very much like one, and he called it not a very diplomatic statement.

On Monday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro summoned Jing. She told him that his words were provocative and unacceptable. The Department of Foreign Affairs also said it reserves the right to take further diplomatic action.

What the Senate resolutions say

Tulfo’s Resolution No. 739 expresses serious concern over the remarks. It urges the department to recommend that the proper authorities declare Jing persona non grata, citing the severity of his words and their effect on Philippine sovereignty.

Hontiveros’ Resolution No. 746 goes a step further. It asks Marcos to declare Jing persona non grata, or else to request his recall by Beijing. The text recognizes that the president leads foreign policy, yet it states the Senate’s disapproval of the envoy’s conduct.

In Tulfo’s view, the ambassador should have clarified his words instead. Instead, he said, Jing appeared to taunt senators with the prospect of a ban from China.

Marcos prefers diplomacy

The Chinese Embassy dared lawmakers to act. Its statement scorned “old and low tricks” and told them to “stop bluffing.”

Even so, the presidential palace said Marcos opposes any move to declare Jing persona non grata. Presidential Communication Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the president would not wish to take such a step against any foreign representative.

She added that Marcos will not try to stop lawmakers from calling out the envoy, since freedom of expression applies. Marcos also plans to attend the APEC meeting in China in November, she said, because it offers a way to improve dialogue.

Tensions between the two countries run deep. Beijing lays claim to almost the whole South China Sea, including parts of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. It refused to accept the 2016 arbitral award, which found its historical claim invalid.

Tulfo said Chinese forces increasingly harass Filipino fishermen and vessels in those waters. He also said senators speak for millions of Filipinos who worry about their maritime rights.

For now, the Jing Quan row tests whether Manila can defend its stance while it keeps diplomatic channels open.