By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Following the filing of a diplomatic protest against China, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza on Monday (11 Dec 2023) said declaring Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian as “persona non grata” appears “something that has to be seriously considered.”
The filing of another diplomatic protest stemmed from successive aggressive actions by Chinese ships against Philippine boats in the West Philippine Sea.
In a joint press conference with the DFA, the National Task Force on West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), said Chinese ships on Saturday, December 9, fired water cannons at two Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ships when they attempted to bring supplies to Filipino fishermen in the Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.
The following day, Sunday, December 10, a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel collided with a civilian Philippine vessel on a resupply mission to Filipino troops stationed in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.
However, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the CCG “took necessary measures against the Philippine ships under domestic and international law.”
“The operations were professional, restrained, reasonable, and legal,” she declared.
(ai/mnm)