3-3-2024 (BEIJING) The Chinese embassy in the Philippines issued a strong condemnation on Sunday (Mar 3) against recent comments made by the Philippine ambassador to Washington, Jose Manuel Romualdez, asserting that they “strongly” disregarded basic facts and unjustly hyped up the South China Sea issue.
Romualdez had expressed his views on Wednesday, stating that while the United States considers both the South China Sea situation and a potential Taiwan conflict as serious concerns, he believed the “real flashpoint is the West Philippine Sea” due to the ongoing skirmishes in the region.
In response, the Chinese embassy released a statement accusing Romualdez of making speculative and malicious smears against China. The embassy warned against exacerbating the situation by inviting external interference, emphasizing that it would not contribute to resolving differences in the South China Sea but rather complicate the regional scenario, undermining peace and stability.
The statement urged Romualdez to refrain from spreading the “China threat theory” and fostering a “paranoia of persecution.” Additionally, the embassy advised him against acting as a spokesperson for other nations, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and diplomacy in addressing regional disputes.
As tensions flare over maritime conflicts in the South China Sea, both Beijing and Manila have exchanged sharp accusations over various encounters. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a crucial passage for over US$3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce. The Philippines, along with Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei, disputes parts of these claims. Notably, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 that China’s claims had no legal basis.
