Say Jing ‘very aggressive, sensitive’
A new Chinese ambassador – one who is not “very aggressive and very sensitive” – could be just what is needed to ease tensions between Manila and Beijing officials over the West Philippine Sea issue, Senators JV Ejercito and Raffy Tulfo said.
Ejercito said Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan has only been in the country since December but has been “very hostile.”
“Diplomats representing their country should not be hostile… They’ve been very hostile against officials of our government,” the senator said.
“Instead of dousing the fire with cold water, he is adding fuel to it. So I think it would be better to replace him with someone who is more diplomatic in dealing with the host country,” Ejercito added.
Tulfo said Jing’s predecessor, Huang Xilian, was more adept at diplomacy.
“It will be best for the interest of the Chinese and Philippine relationship to perhaps have a new ambassador. It will help a lot,” he said.
“The new one is too sensitive and aggressive at the same time – very onion-skinned and aggressive in his actions and reactions to the developments here,” Tulfo added.
Ejercito also denied the Senate was pressuring or threatening Chinese executives in passing a resolution censuring Beijing’s officials in Manila.
“We are not intimidating anybody, not even the Chinese officials. We are just stating the sense of the Senate, and the majority are in unison in standing up for what is right,” he said.
On Thursday, members of the Filipinos Do Not Yield Movement held a lightning rally outside the Senate in Pasay City, expressing support for the Senate resolution while criticizing the nine senators who did not sign it as “Chinadors” – a term that has also been widely used in social media posts.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, for his part, said if the senators being labeled as “pro-China” are offended by the memes online, they should take proper action even as he acknowledged that criticism of public officials is part of democratic discourse.
“The nine (senators) should push back and find who uploaded the post if they are hurt by it,” Sotto said, adding that criticisms are “part of freedom of expression.”
The nine senators mentioned in the memes are Alan Cayetano, Rodante Marcoleta, Joel Villanueva, Francis Escudero, Bong Go, Bato dela Rosa, Robin Padilla, Pia Cayetano and Imee Marcos.
Sotto added he no longer wants to engage Chinese embassy officials in a public discourse.
“When someone triggers you to react and you do not, it’s annoying! I prefer to be annoying!” Sotto told reporters in a Viber message.
Earlier in the day, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said it supports open and constructive dialogue with the Philippines as it urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to speak with a unified and constructive voice
“A healthy dialogue between China and the Philippines requires constructive statements from both sides,” Chinese Embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng said.
“We hope the DFA will play a constructive role in leading the efforts to manage differences and advance the overall bilateral relationship,” Ji added.
Meanwhile, House lawmakers filed a resolution seeking to declare the people of Kalayaan in Palawan as “Outstanding Filipinos of 2026” for their defiance against Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
Led by Akbayan Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula, House Resolution 780, was introduced by Akbayan lawmakers Chel Diokno, Percival Cendaña, and Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao as well as Albay Rep. Cielo Krisel Lagman and Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima.
The resolution formally commends 16 local government officials who were declared persona non grata by the Chinese embassy for their “courage, vigilance, and unwavering commitment” to Philippine sovereignty.
“This early in the year, the courage and patriotism shown in the actions of the people of Kalayaan are worthy to be hailed as Outstanding Filipinos of the Year,” Ismula said.
The resolution recognizes the KIG officials and residents for standing their ground despite being “at the forefront of the Philippines’ assertion of sovereignty” and facing “foreign pressure and intimidation.”
The Kalayaan officials earlier passed a resolution seeking to remove from the Senate record Marcoleta’s remarks that the Philippines should just give up the Kalayaan Island Group to “make it easier” amid maritime tensions with China.
Marcoleta clarified he did not mean to say that the Philippines should give up KIG, which he said was outside the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article.
