China pushes back vs ‘bad guest’ tag
The Chinese Embassy in Manila rejected on Friday the remarks made by Sen. Risa Hontiveros that it was being a “bad guest” in the Philippines, insisting that if fake news is spread and China is defamed, it will not remain patient and silent.
“We strongly oppose groundless attacks and smears. If fake news [is] spread, if China is defamed or if hatred is incited, we will not remain patient and silent. We will push back firmly without hesitation. This is our duty. We have every legitimate right to let the public be aware of the basic facts and China’s position,” the embassy said in a statement posted on Facebook.
“Unfortunately, some people still cling to this warped logic: I can attack and insult you at will, but the moment you defend yourself or hit back, it’s suddenly ‘interference in internal affairs’ and ‘disrespect.’ That is not logic—it’s absurd and laughable, steeped in arrogance, ignorance, and paranoia.
“People who don’t even understand what respect means, who don’t know how to treat a guest with basic courtesy, yet have the nerve to label others as [a] bad guest. That hypocrisy is itself a profound disrespect—to others and to themselves. It’s nothing but self-humiliation. To those who think they can smear China and expect silence: not a chance,” the statement read.
Diplomatic channels
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), meanwhile, pointed out that differences between states are best addressed through established diplomatic channels rather than public exchanges.
The DFA said the Philippine government will continue to articulate its positions on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the South China Sea, which are grounded in international law, including the 1982 Unclos and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.
The embassy posted the statement after Hontiveros asked the DFA on Jan. 19 to act on the embassy’s public attack against government officials defending the country’s position on the WPS issue.
“China is already disrespecting our seas, and now it is also disrespecting our officials. We must not allow the Chinese Embassy—or any embassy, for that matter—to disrespect public servants who are simply defending what is rightfully ours. I expect the DFA to take this matter seriously,” Hontiveros said in a letter to Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro.
Hontiveros said the embassy disrespected Commodore Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the WPS, after he posted on his Facebook page unflattering artificial intelligence-generated images of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Respect limits
The senator urged the foreign office to ensure that foreign diplomatic missions in the Philippines respect the limits of diplomatic conduct and refrain from targeting Filipino officials.
The embassy’s statement appeared to be part of Beijing’s pushback to reframe the narrative about the WPS.
In a guest opinion column in the Inquirer on Friday, maritime security expert Ray Powell said the embassy also released on Thursday a sharp statement attacking him and his nonprofit organization, Sea Light.
Powell issued the statement after he wrote an investigative report detailing how the embassy directs Mandarin-language media in the Philippines to amplify Beijing’s propaganda.
“The embassy accused me of all manner of sins, to include inciting ‘hatred,’ spreading ‘smears,’ and attempting to ‘sabotage’ China-Philippines relations,” Powell said in his column online.
The embassy said it is also seeking clarification on whether Tarriela’s remarks “against China and the Chinese leader” represent the stance of the Philippine government.
But Tarriela said the embassy’s request violates Article 41(1) of the Vienna Convention, which “explicitly states that diplomatic missions must not interfere in the internal affairs of the host state.”
Tarriela also said that the government has no obligation to “discipline” him “for accurately reporting violations occurring in Philippine waters.”
“If the Chinese Embassy objects to images or expressions that highlight these violations—often through legitimate public discourse or even satire—it only underscores their discomfort with the truth being exposed,” he added.
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