China has strongly denounced recent remarks by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr regarding Taiwan, lodging formal protests with both the Philippine government and its embassy in Manila.
During a visit to India, Marcos Jr stated in an interview that if conflict broke out between China and the US over Taiwan, the Philippines could not remain neutral due to its geographic location. He claimed Manila would be “joined into it” in the event of a war, citing the need to protect its territory, sovereignty, and the large number of Filipino citizens living in Taiwan. He added that such a situation would cause a humanitarian crisis, and the government would “immediately mobilise” to evacuate its nationals.
In a statement on Friday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson reaffirmed that there is only one China in the world, with Taiwan as an inalienable part of its territory. The spokesperson stressed that the Taiwan question is a purely internal matter for China and warned against external interference.
Beijing also accused Manila of backtracking on its written commitments to the one-China policy, noting that past Philippine leaders had explicitly recognised Taiwan as part of China. The ministry criticised the Philippines for making “wrong and provocative” statements that undermine bilateral ties, hollow out the one-China principle, and harm regional stability.
The spokesperson further rejected the use of “geographic proximity” and the presence of Filipino nationals in Taiwan as justifications for involvement in the Taiwan issue, calling such reasoning a violation of international law and the ASEAN Charter.
China urged the Philippines to fully honour its diplomatic commitments, refrain from actions that touch on China’s core interests, and avoid “playing with fire” on sensitive sovereignty issues.
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