Diplomacy and self-respect
If we want to use force, we may easily win, but no, we will not choose force, and we love peace.” These were the words of Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan that provoked condemnation from numerous Filipino lawmakers, with Sen. Risa Hontiveros ultimately proposing that the ambassador be considered a persona non grata. The Chinese embassy seemed undeterred, however, and doubled down, saying, “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.” It also singled out the House legislators who released a statement critical of the Chinese ambassador’s statements, with the embassy reposting the statement with the caption, “Put on record. You are now on the list.”
A closer look at the Chinese Embassy in Manila’s X account would show a consistent pattern of stern rebukes and criticisms against individual Filipino government officials as well as against the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Honestly, I had to check whether this was a genuine account, as this was highly atypical of a diplomatic office whose goal is supposedly to strengthen bilateral relations.
It so happened that I was able to visit the Office of Protocol at the DFA recently to provide a talk on mental health. From the few stories that were shared, it was evident that they are consummate professionals. They are always careful and mindful of their words, with meticulous attention to detail. They carried themselves with grace, despite admissions that they rarely sleep. They shared stories of being assigned to countries with harsh, depressing winters and of bombs flying overhead. They shared where they were when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and how they addressed the fatalities among Filipino nurses. They talked of providing assistance to Filipinos who needed help, sometimes having to accompany them home themselves. They also shared the strain of their job on their families, who either have to travel and adjust with them or who have to be left behind. Their role requires that they keep calm during a crisis, of which there was plenty (and seemingly never-ending). Their job exposes them to a variety of personalities, both powerful and small, and they are tasked—no matter what—to stay professional.
I couldn’t connect my initial impressions of DFA personnel with the bombast of the social media communications of the Chinese embassy. The comments were even more disheartening, though am wise enough to know that some of those are likely to be paid. Certain Filipino personalities, including some lawmakers and political influencers, argued that it would be unwise for us to provoke China. Former National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos, for example, chided that even our “briefs and panties” come from China, highlighting our economic reliance on the superpower.
Such arguments and posturing, though, fail to disprove that the words of the Chinese ambassador could be seen as a threat. If anything, they embolden the perception that China, through its ambassador, is using its power to dictate how another country should behave.
A bully isn’t a bully simply because he’s aggressive or violent. A bully is a bully because he is powerful and uses that power to coerce. And so, highlighting how strong and mighty China is does not diffuse its image as an aggressor; it amplifies it. Explaining the dire economic and political consequences of defying them only strengthens the salience of the threat. When the Chinese ambassador speaks, it carries enormous weight. That he does so recklessly, not caring to make sure that his words do not get twisted (which is what a diplomat is trained to do!), means that he does not think there are serious adverse consequences that would impact him and his state.
In that mental health talk, I talked to them about interpersonal effectiveness. In relationships, including professional ones, there are three goals: to get what you want, to maintain the relationship, and to maintain self-respect. For a healthy relationship, all three must be addressed. For the Philippines, what seems to be at stake is maintaining self-respect. We must maintain good relations with other countries, yes. But not at the expense of our self-respect (and sovereignty). Diplomats juggle the tricky balance of furthering national interests while maintaining good relations with other nations. Smaller nations know this too keenly; we cannot easily afford to burn bridges. Sometimes, it would feel like self-respect is a small enough price to pay in order to keep powerful players from attacking us. On the contrary, however, I would argue that for less powerful nations, self-respect is an even more precious resource. It is something that no other person or state can take away from you; it is generated from within. Self-respect is what will keep our nation intact amidst the threats from the powerful.
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