Chinese gov’t doesn’t tolerate ‘taho’ throwing incident

The 23-year-old Chinese fashion design student has apologized for what happened, explaining that she was just in a “bad mood” and “was not able to control her emotions” when she threw her snack to Cristobal. (File Photo: Pau Mesias/Facebook)

MANILA – Malacañang on Thursday said the Chinese government has assured President Rodrigo R. Duterte that will not tolerate the act of the Chinese woman caught on video throwing ‘taho’ at an MRT cop on February 9.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua made the assurance when he paid a courtesy call on the President at the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday.

“He said that Chinese government does not tolerate this kind of behavior,” Panelo said in a Palace press briefing.

“In fact he said that in the Philippines, we should prosecute nationals of other countries including Chinese who violate our laws; in the same way that in the China area or Chinese government will also prosecute foreign nationals (who) violate their laws,” he added.

Panelo said Zhao commended PO1 William Cristobal for his display of “professionalism and restraint” after 23-year-old Chinese fashion student Zhang Jiale threw soy curd pudding at him as he tried to prevent her from entering an MRT station due to her unconsumed drink.

“He said he saw the video, and Ambassador Zhao said he was impressed by the professionalism and restraint exhibited by the police officer,” Panelo said.

Panelo, meanwhile, said Zhao discussed with Duterte the implementation of the memorandum of agreements signed between the Philippines and China on “shared interest” between the two countries.

“You remember that we included the communication, infrastructure and other interest mutually interesting to both countries and beneficial,” he said.

During the one hour and half courtesy call, Zhao extended Chinese President Xi Jinping’s greeting and invitation to Duterte to attend the Belt and Road Forum in April this year.

Duterte attended the first Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation in May 2017.