MANILA, Nov 8 — The Philippines’ foreign ministry issued a rare rebuke to government officials and agencies today over public comments about China, stressing the need for a unified voice as the country heads into a key regional summit.
The uniformed services of the Philippines have been engaged in a long-running war of words with the Chinese government over the South China Sea, a busy waterway that Beijing claims almost entirely despite an international ruling that its position has no legal basis.
Multiple senators also called last month for Beijing’s ambassador to be declared persona non grata after he suggested China could “easily win” any confrontation with the Philippines.
Beijing subsequently accused Manila of “erecting multiple obstacles” to its attendance at an Asean defence ministers’ meeting, pointedly sending only an embassy defence attaché.
