Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan expressed hope that Manila and Beijing would expedite consultations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, so they can focus on the “bigger picture” amid recent heightened tensions between officials from both nations.
“Reaching an agreement would lay a solid foundation for managing maritime differences and advancing bilateral relations,” Jing said during his keynote address at the Spring Festival Reception on Tuesday night.
He noted that the COC has been under discussion for more than a decade, saying that is time to see real results. “Both sides should keep the bigger picture in mind and work together to deliver,” the envoy underscored.
Jing noted China will firmly counter activities meant to undermine bilateral ties while continuing efforts to expand cooperation with the Philippines. He emphasized that misinformation will not be allowed to mislead the public.
“We cannot allow misinformation to mislead the public or undermine bilateral relations. At the same time, we will continue expanding practical cooperation-using positive momentum to drown out the noise, until such distortions find no audience and no believers,” he said.
On the same day, China rejected a Senate resolution condemning the embassy’s recent statements on Philippine sovereignty and maritime issues, calling it merely a ‘political stunt.’
Chinese Embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng claimed some Philippine lawmakers threatened and intimidated Chinese diplomats, accusing them of ‘misrepresenting public opinion and distorting facts.’
This statement comes after the Senate adopted Resolution 37, where 15 senators said the language used by a Chinese Embassy official departed from the restraint and courtesy expected in diplomatic exchanges and ran counter to principles of mutual respect and noninterference among states.
Jing also hopes that Filipinos will visit China in person, emphasizing that as ‘people visit each other more, misunderstandings and biases naturally fade away.’
Last month, senior officials from the Philippines and China held a discussion on the sidelines of the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) on the Declaration on COC in the South China Sea, marking the resumption of talks after a more than year-long hiatus.
On January 29, DFA Secretary Theresa Lazaro said her Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) counterparts welcomed the positive momentum and progress in the ongoing negotiations for a COC in the South China Sea, with all sides aiming to conclude the talks within the year.
