Philippines rejects Chinese embassys coercive warning on job losses

Diplomatic Dispute Escalates Between Philippines and China

A dispute between the Philippines and China has escalated, with both countries presenting competing narratives in the contested South China Sea. The Chinese embassy in Manila criticized Commodore Jay Tarriela, a senior Philippine Coast Guard official, for displaying a caricature of President Xi Jinping at an academic forum. Beijing’s embassy demanded that Tarriela be held accountable for what it called “smears and slanders”.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs took strong exception to the Chinese embassy’s tone, stating that it implied economic cooperation could be used as leverage. The department accused Beijing’s diplomats of framing their concerns in a way that risks being perceived as coercive.

In response, the Chinese embassy warned that deteriorating bilateral relations between the two countries could result in significant job losses. However, a Manila-based think tank, Stratbase Institute, disputed this claim, citing data suggesting China’s economic footprint in the Philippines is more limited than Beijing’s rhetoric implies.

The dispute has its roots in repeated maritime confrontations between the two countries in the South China Sea. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 ruled that China’s expansive claims in the region have no legal basis under international law, but Beijing has refused to recognize the ruling.

Both countries observed a public holiday on Tuesday for the Lunar New Year. The Philippine Senate passed a resolution condemning the Chinese embassy’s intervention as “improper”, while lawmakers called for the expulsion of Chinese embassy officials or the recall of Ambassador Jing Quan.

Source: Al Jazeera