Philippine lawmakers urge Marcos to seek Chinese ambassador’s recall
Ten House lawmakers filed a resolution asking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare Ambassador Jing Quan persona non grata or ask Beijing to recall him after remarks about the use of force.
Ten Philippine House lawmakers filed a resolution on October 21, 2026, urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan persona non grata or ask Beijing to recall him. House Resolution No. 1562 adds a formal appeal to a diplomatic dispute over Jing’s remarks about the possible use of force; it is a request to the president, not a declaration or recall by the government.
Representatives Leila de Lima and Chel Diokno are among the 10 authors. Rappler reported that the resolution argues the president has primary authority over foreign relations and should take decisive action over statements and conduct the lawmakers say undermine Philippine sovereignty and threaten national security. Politiko reported that the resolution also refers to China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea.
Why lawmakers want action against Jing Quan
The lawmakers cited a statement Jing made on October 15 after Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. described China as a regional troublemaker. Politiko quoted Jing as saying, ‘If we want to use force, we may easily win. But no, we will not use force.’ Jing also said China would not resort to force because it loved peace, according to Politiko. President Marcos said the remark sounded like a threat, while the Department of Foreign Affairs described it as seeming to convey a thinly veiled threat of force, the outlet reported.
The exchange follows an earlier Philippine rebuke of Jing over his remarks and Marcos’s plan to summon him. The October 21 resolution goes further by asking the president to consider ending Jing’s posting through a persona non grata declaration or a request to Beijing.
Embassy challenge and an earlier local declaration
On October 17, the Chinese Embassy challenged lawmakers who had proposed declaring Jing persona non grata to ‘Just do it. Otherwise, stop bluffing,’ Politiko reported. Rappler reported that the embassy also threatened to bar Philippine officials from entering China if Jing were declared persona non grata. The lawmakers called the embassy’s language undiplomatic and said it dismissed Philippine concerns.
Politiko reported a precedent at the local level: the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan declared Jing persona non grata on January 27, 2026, over what it described as embassy interference and attacks on Philippine officials. China barred 16 Kalayaan officials from entering China, Hong Kong and Macau the following month, the outlet reported. The House resolution now seeks a decision from Marcos, who holds national authority over foreign relations.
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Sources and context
- De Lima, Diokno, 8 other House lawmakers want China envoy recalledRappler
- Marcos on the spot: Lawmakers want China’s envoy kicked outPolitiko
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.