MANILA, Philippines — The territorial dispute between the Philippines and China has escalated into a word war, with the Chinese Embassy in Manila calling Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela "ignorant" and the PCG official branding Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan a "loose cannon."
In a social media post on Saturday, the Chinese Embassy in Manila slammed Tarriela after he questioned whether China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) was intentionally distancing itself from Jing.
In an earlier post, Tarriela noted that Chinese MOFA spokesperson Mao Ning focused primarily on Beijing's commitment to "improving and growing its ties with the Philippines" during a press briefing, rather than defending Jing's remark that China “may easily win” if it uses force in the West Philippine Sea dispute.
The embassy dismissed Tarriela's observations, posting: “The ignorant are fearless.”
Tarriela taunts
In his follow-up post on Saturday, Tarriela juxtaposed his earlier question about whether Jing was a “loose cannon” with the embassy’s response:
“My post: Is Jing Quan a loose cannon?
China Embassy: The ignorant are fearless!
Question: Are they referring to Jing Quan? Is he fearless?”
The embassy’s post featured an excerpt from Mao's Oct. 16 press briefing, during which Reuters asked about Jing’s statement.
Mao responded that Beijing's position on improving bilateral ties was clear and expressed hope that Manila would have a “full and accurate understanding” of it.
The post also included a prominent red stamp reading “Jing Quan a loose cannon,” mirroring Tarriela’s phrase.
Tarriela questioned why the ministry refrained from explicitly endorsing the ambassador's statement if it truly reflected official policy, asking if the embassy was attempting to reframe Jing's remarks or distance itself from him.
Jing’s initial claim that China could “easily win” a confrontation drew sharp criticism from Philippine officials, who viewed it as a threat despite the diplomat's assertion that Beijing loves peace.
The Department of Foreign Affairs described the statement as a “thinly veiled threat,” while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remarked that the ambassador’s words sounded like a threat. The controversy has prompted calls from several Philippine lawmakers to consider declaring Jing persona non grata.
