Sen. Robin Padilla has urged critics of Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan to speak with the diplomat personally following their meeting at the ASEAN-Chinese Business Leaders Summit.
Padilla said Jing was not threatening the Philippines despite his controversial remarks, describing the ambassador as “educated” and a “gentleman.” The senator argued that people should speak with someone directly before judging them based on social media comments and criticism.
Jing previously said in an interview that China would have an “easy win” if it used force against the Philippines amid tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
The Department of Foreign Affairs recently summoned Jing to express its objections to what it considered threatening remarks against the Philippines.
Asked whether he and Jing discussed the ambassador’s controversial statements during their meeting, Padilla said their conversation was cut short.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, questioned Padilla’s description of Jing as an “educated gentleman.”
Tarriela argued that calling for critics to meet the ambassador personally was not enough because Jing himself had made the statements that sparked the controversy.
Tarriela also suggested that Padilla might be close to Jing, which could explain the senator’s favorable description of the Chinese diplomat.
The exchange comes amid tensions between Manila and Beijing over the West Philippine Sea.
Padilla’s comments focused on the importance of personal interaction before judging someone, while Tarriela emphasized that the controversy stemmed from the ambassador’s own public statements.
Neither account provided further details about the conversation between Padilla and Jing at the summit.
