Philippines urges China to keep tone 'calm' as rhetoric heats up

The Philippine foreign ministry urged the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday to be "constructive" in its statements amid an escalating war of words between Chinese diplomats and public officials, including senators.

The Department of Foreign Affairs' newly appointed maritime affairs spokesperson, Rogelio Villanueva, said that responses should be delivered in a "calm" and "professional" manner.

"The DFA values candid and vigorous debate with its foreign counterparts on important issues consistent with the Philippines' democratic tradition," he said.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Villanueva's remarks came after the Senate approved a resolution on Monday condemning statements made by the Chinese Embassy in Manila, which criticised Philippine officials for defending the country's sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea.

The Chinese embassy rejected and condemned the resolution, calling it a "political stunt."

On Tuesday, the Philippines' Ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel Romualdez, underscored the need to "cool" the temperature between China and the Philippines, saying that the relationship between the two countries should not be defined solely by the maritime dispute.

The Philippines and China have been locked in a series of maritime confrontations in recent years, with the Philippines accusing China of aggressive actions inside its exclusive economic zones, including dangerous manoeuvres, water-cannoning, and interference in resupply missions.

China, in turn, has accused the Philippines of intruding into what it claims as its territory.

-Karen Lema/Reuters