Philippines Summons Chinese Ambassador Over ‘Threat of Force’ Remarks

The Philippines summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan on Oct. 19 to protest remarks that Manila said implied a threat of military force, deepening a diplomatic dispute over China’s activities in the South China Sea. Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro told Jing his statement was “provocative and unacceptable,” according to the Philippine News Agency.

Jing made the remarks on Oct. 15 after a forum in Quezon City, when reporters asked him about Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s description of China as a regional “troublemaker.” The ambassador replied, “If we want to use force, we may easily win. But no, we will not choose force and we love peace,” The Associated Press reported.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. responded the following day, saying the remark sounded “very much to me like a threat” and was not diplomatic. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) initially called the wording a “thinly veiled threat of the use of force” and urged foreign diplomats to exercise restraint.

At the Oct. 19 meeting, Lazaro objected to attempts to intimidate Philippine officials and lawmakers. The DFA said it would keep diplomatic channels open but reserved the right to take further action. China’s Embassy in Manila disputed Manila’s interpretation, accusing the DFA of “selective quotation and overinterpretation” of Jing’s comments.

2016 arbitration ruling rejected by Beijing

The dispute is rooted in overlapping claims to the South China Sea. In 2013, the Philippines initiated arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). A tribunal administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued its decision on July 12, 2016, finding “no legal basis” for China’s claim to historic rights to resources beyond those permitted under UNCLOS within its nine-dash line.

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The tribunal also found that certain Chinese activities interfered with the Philippines’ sovereign rights. The ruling did not decide sovereignty over land features or delimit a maritime boundary. Manila treats the award as binding; Beijing rejected it. In a 2016 statement, China’s Foreign Ministry called the award “null and void” and said China would neither accept nor recognize it.

Beijing reiterated its opposition in July 2026, dismissing the decision as a “worthless piece of paper.” The Philippine National Security Council, meanwhile, says the award remains central to protecting the country’s maritime rights.

Artificial islands compound maritime dispute

The tribunal also examined China’s dredging and construction of artificial islands at reefs in the Spratly Islands. Its award found that these projects had “aggravated and extended the disputes” while arbitration was underway.

At Mischief Reef, which the tribunal found lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, China’s construction caused “permanent, irreparable harm” to coral-reef habitat, the tribunal said. It also found that building work at other reefs had destroyed evidence of their original natural condition, complicating legal assessments of their maritime entitlements.

Beijing continues to assert sovereignty and maritime rights in the region, while the Philippines and other Southeast Asian claimants contest parts of those claims. China’s expanded facilities have increased its capacity to maintain a presence around disputed maritime features.

Confrontations at sea keep tensions high

The diplomatic dispute follows repeated encounters between Chinese and Philippine vessels. On Sept. 25, Philippine authorities said eight Chinese naval and coast guard vessels interfered with a resupply mission to troops stationed aboard the BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal. The Philippine task force responsible for the area said the interference “put Filipino personnel at risk” and obstructed the mission.

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton criticized what he called “irresponsible maneuvers” by Chinese vessels and urged Beijing to stop tactics that could endanger navigation. China maintains that its maritime enforcement activities defend Chinese sovereignty.

On Oct. 15, the Philippine Coast Guard reported driving a Chinese fishing vessel and four small boats away from waters around Philippine-held Lawak Island without incident. The service said it would continue monitoring unauthorized fishing and other intrusions.