Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over use-of-force remarks

Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan on October 19 and lodged a protest over his remarks. Manila interpreted them as a threat to use force, the Philippine foreign affairs department said.

Lazaro described the diplomat's comments as provocative and unacceptable. She said they heightened tensions between the Philippines and China, which dispute territory in the South China Sea.

The dispute followed Jing's statement that China could easily win if it decided to use force against the Philippines. The ambassador also stressed that Beijing would not choose that course and favoured peace.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had raised the prospect of summoning the ambassador for an explanation on October 16. He said then that the remarks sounded like a threat and that Manila wanted to clarify what the diplomat meant.