China believes it can "win easily" in any conflict with the Philippines
Agencies2 min read
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The Chinese ambassador in Manila considered on Thursday that Beijing could "win easily" in any conflict with the Philippines, while reassuring at the same time that his country would not choose the option of force, but the archipelago's authorities saw his statements as a "threat."
China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, a region of vital importance to global trade, which constantly witnesses friction between Philippine and Chinese vessels, some of which have led to collisions and injuries.
Ambassador Huang Xilian told reporters in Manila on Thursday that Filipinos should consider themselves "lucky to have a neighbor like China in this region."
He added after a speech he delivered at a school in Manila, "If we wanted to resort to force, we could win easily. But no, we will not choose force, and we love peace."
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro had described Beijing the previous day as a "troublemaker" in the region.
Huang Xilian replied that this description was "ridiculous," and accused Manila of harassing Chinese workers and teachers, without providing specific examples.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs expressed its regret on Thursday evening regarding the ambassador's statements, considering them "unconstructive."
It added in its statement, "It is unfortunate that Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian chose his words poorly today, which appeared to be a veiled threat to resort to force."
As for the spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, Jay Tarriela, he saw the Chinese diplomat's statement as a "direct threat."
The Chinese Embassy in Manila confirmed the accuracy of Huang Xilian's statements, but accused Jay Tarriela of taking them out of context and seeking to damage bilateral relations, stressing that it wishes for nothing but "stable relations."
China, based on historical pretexts, claims sovereignty over most of the small islands and coral reefs in the South China Sea, despite a 2016 court ruling that considered those claims to have no basis in international law.
Confrontations between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea renewed during July after a brief period of calm.
Manila recently accused Beijing of obstructing the medical evacuation of a Philippine soldier near a disputed island. The Philippines announced that the number of Chinese military and coast guard vessels in the South China Sea had nearly doubled during last September.
