Chinese Embassy: Marcos Can Expel China Envoy

There is no need for a Senate resolution declaring the deputy spokesperson of the Chinese embassy persona non grata over the word war that has erupted with Philippine government officials, the embassy said on Wednesday, Jan. 28.

President Marcos can simply declare Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan persona non grata, embassy Counselor and spokesman Ji Lingpeng said.

“As Ambassador, he bears responsibility for all words and actions of the Chinese embassy,” Ji said in a statement on Wednesday night.

Ji added that if anyone wanted to declare any Chinese diplomat persona non grata, “please do include myself and the entire 12-member media affairs and public diplomacy team. As a team, we stay or leave, together.”

The Senate has suspended action on a resolution approved by 15 senators, calling for the declaration of Chinese embassy deputy spokesperson Wei Guo as persona non grata. Wei Guo is the director of the embassy’s media and public diplomacy section.

“Ambassador Jing is appointed by President Xi Jinping and accepted by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in the Philippines. There is but one person who has the authority to ask Ambassador Jing to leave, and that is President Marcos,” Ji said. “If he were to receive such notice from President Marcos, he would depart immediately.”

“But he would do so with immense pride and honor, knowing that through his actions, he has fulfilled the firm commitment a Chinese diplomat makes to his country,” Ji added, as he pointed out that the ambassador “had experienced many extremely difficult moments” in his previous diplomatic posting in the US.

Sen. Imee Marcos, chairperson of the Senate committee on foreign relations, said officials should exercise restraint in public pronouncements concerning international affairs.

She said “reckless statements and intemperate rhetoric” can have dire impact on bilateral relations and on “our ability to protect national interest, particularly in sensitive areas such as the maritime domain.”