Wang Yi urges Philippines to rein in Beijing critics — SkimNews
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- Wang Yi urged the Philippines on Tuesday (Nov 3) to rein in politicians who had repeatedly "smeared" Beijing and crossed China's "red lines", without specifying which politicians or what remarks.
- Chinese foreign ministry said Wang told Philippine counterpart Theresa Lazaro in a phone call that bilateral relations "were currently facing malicious interference", and asked Manila to "strengthen its oversight" of the individuals concerned and send "a rational and unified message on its China policy".
- Beijing accused Manila last week of "erecting multiple obstacles" to China's attendance at a regional meeting in the Philippines, a claim the Philippine defence chief rejected, as bilateral tensions rose in recent weeks following several diplomatic incidents.
- Philippine foreign ministry summoned Beijing's ambassador in October after he said China would "easily win" a conflict between the two countries, with some local senators calling for the ambassador's expulsion.
- Theresa Lazaro described her call with Wang as "frank and constructive", saying both sides emphasised the need for continued diplomatic dialogue and the proper management of differences "anchored on mutual respect".
- South China Sea is claimed mostly by Beijing despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis, and the US-allied Philippines has been engaged in years of confrontations with China over disputed areas there.
Why it matters: Beijing's demand that Manila restrain unnamed politicians pulls bilateral relations directly into Philippine domestic politics, and Manila has already rejected China's account of last week's regional meeting obstruction. Wang's Nov 3 "malicious interference" framing also contrasts with Lazaro's description of the call as "frank and constructive".
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