Lawmakers have rallied behind the appointment of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. as special envoy to China amid increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
The Palace on Thursday remained tight-lipped on Locsin’s appointment after issuing a terse statement that it aimed to “boost bilateral relations between the two countries.”
Analysts believe the government should clarify what Locsin’s role in China is going to be, given he is currently the country’s envoy to the United Kingdom.
“Maybe that needs to be clear so the public also can understand, and then maybe (Locsin’s) role needs to be defined,” said Karla Cruz, AFI International Fellow, in a television interview.
What Locsin will do in Beijing is not back-channeling because “back-channels are usually not known (by the public), not announced, so I think this is more of a formal assignment,” added Professor Jay Batongbacal of the University of the Philippines Institute of Maritime Affairs.
However, Locsin revealed on his X (formerly Twitter) account that he did not agree to the hotline between the Chinese and Philippine Coast Guards during his tenure as Foreign Affairs chief, and “expressly banned (it) fully knowing there could be misencounters” and that it was like asking for “permission to sail, whereto and away from” the WPS.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto said Locsin was the kind of diplomat who will call a spade a spade, but elegantly.
“Teddy Locsin is the kind of diplomat who can tell you to go to hell in such an elegant way that you’ll look forward with pleasure to making the trip,” he said.
“But he will not be there to rabble-rouse, but to press the reboot button so that the PH-China relations will pivot toward a mutually respecting phase,” Recto added.
He said Locsin’s command of language “makes him our best weapon in a shouting war.
“But if need be, he can stare down China’s practitioners of wolf diplomacy,” Recto said.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Locsin has the expertise and experience in dealing with China.
“And he is extremely loyal to the cause of protecting the sovereignty of our country as proven by the hundreds of diplomatic protests that he personally filed on behalf of our country during the Duterte presidency,” Zubiri said.
Senator Grace Poe described Locsin, the country’s concurrent Ambassador to the United Kingdom, as an “adroit diplomat and skilled leader.”
“[He is] unafraid to go to whatever lengths necessary for the best interest of the Filipinos,” Poe said.
Senator Francis Escudero said Locsin’s appointment shows the President’s “commitment to finding and pursuing peaceful ways of asserting our rights and sovereignty in regard to the West Philippine Sea.”
“The PRC [Peoples’ Republic of China] representatives in the country requested the Philippines to engage in talks so this appointment, of our former top diplomat, speaks of the President’s intent to resolve issues with China diplomatically,” said Albay Rep. Joey Salceda.
“The President’s approach of engaging in diplomatic talks while bolstering our military capabilities — we nearly doubled the AFP modernization budget this year — is the right way to fight for our interests. It signals our intent for peace while ensuring that we are prepared to respond with strength if necessary,” Salceda added.
