The Chinese Embassy in Manila has expressed openness to a potential face-to-face meeting between Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian Jing Quan. This development comes amid rising tensions due to the ambassador's remarks regarding the possibility of military conflict between China and the Philippines.
In a Facebook post, the embassy welcomed the opportunity for direct communication, stating that Ambassador Jing looks forward to discussing sensitive and important matters with President Marcos. The embassy emphasized the need to address ways to avoid actions that could jeopardize the bilateral relationship between the two nations.
Last Friday, President Marcos indicated his desire to speak with Ambassador Jing to clarify comments made about China's military capabilities. Marcos stated, "Well, it sounds very much to me like a threat, and it is not a very diplomatic statement to be made. So, we perhaps would like to understand what exactly it is that he means."
The president also sought clarification on Jing's claim that China could easily prevail if it chose to use force against the Philippines. Jing had stated in a previous interview, "If we want to use force, we may easily win. But no, we will not use force. You know, we love peace." Marcos underscored the importance of discussing these statements directly with the ambassador.