Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants to discuss Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan’s remarks about using force. The envoy said China could win easily but would not use force and wanted peace. Manila’s foreign ministry rebuked the wording, while the Chinese embassy argued that selective quotation had distorted the message amid strained bilateral relations.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday that he wanted to understand what Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan meant by his remarks about using force. Asked whether he would summon the envoy, Marcos said the matter deserved a discussion between them. His comments followed criticism from the Philippine foreign ministry, which regarded the wording as an implied threat.[1], [2]
Jing spoke on Thursday at a dialogue event in Quezon City, in the Philippines. Rejecting the description of China as a troublemaker, he said it could win easily if it chose force, but would not use it and wanted peace. The foreign ministry urged diplomats to exercise restraint so that differences did not close the space for dialogue.[1], [2]
China’s embassy responded that Jing had been selectively quoted and his words overinterpreted. It called the ministry’s reaction regrettable and described relations as extremely sensitive. The exchange followed earlier disagreements over embassy criticism of Philippine officials and suspended direct military communications. Marcos’s remarks expressed a wish for clarification; they did not announce a completed meeting with the ambassador.[1]
