The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs issued a rare public rebuke on Sunday to government officials and agencies, including the national security establishment and the uniformed services, saying public statements that undermine the government’s diplomatic approach on China complicate diplomats’ work, risk the country’s credibility, and project an internal division that outside parties can exploit. The ministry stressed the need for one voice on China-related issues and said civilian authority directs the country’s international relations, while the armed services are indispensable in documenting incidents at sea.
The statement follows months of heated social media exchanges between the Philippine services and the Chinese Embassy, calls by several senators last month to declare Beijing’s ambassador persona non grata, and a Chinese ban on Defence Minister Gilberto Teodoro visiting China this year. China’s foreign minister Wang Yi urged his counterpart Theresa Lazaro in a call last week to rein in politicians who had criticised Beijing; Lazaro called the conversation frank and constructive. Manila hosts an ASEAN summit next week, with President Trump among the expected attendees, and Beijing has yet to announce publicly who it will send.