Marcos not keen on declaring Chinese ambassador persona non grata, Palace says

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
October 20, 2026

Photo Courtesy: PCO

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is not inclined to declare Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan persona non grata despite growing calls from lawmakers to expel the diplomat over his controversial remarks about a possible conflict between Manila and Beijing.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said on Monday that Marcos prefers to handle the dispute through diplomatic channels, stressing that the President does not want to take an aggressive approach toward representatives of other countries.

Castro said Malacañang respects lawmakers who have called for the ambassador’s expulsion but emphasized that the President remains cautious because his statements and decisions could affect the country and its people.

The controversy stemmed from Jing’s remarks last week that China could “easily win” if it chose to use force against the Philippines, although he added that Beijing would not resort to force because it values peace.

Marcos previously described the statement as sounding like a threat and said he wanted to understand what the Chinese envoy meant.

On Monday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro formally summoned Jing to convey the Philippines’ serious concern and strong objection, describing his remarks as provocative and unacceptable. The Department of Foreign Affairs also criticized the Chinese Embassy for publicly criticizing Filipino officials and lawmakers.

The embassy, meanwhile, maintained that the ambassador’s remarks had been selectively quoted and overinterpreted.

Despite the diplomatic dispute, the Philippine government has indicated that it intends to keep communication channels open with Beijing while firmly defending the country’s sovereignty and rights in the West Philippine Sea.

A declaration of persona non grata would signal that the Philippines no longer accepts the diplomat’s presence, but the Palace has so far favored continued diplomatic engagement over that measure.