Philippines DFA Tells Own Officials to Speak With One Voice on China in Sunday Statement
MANILA, Nov. 8 — The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued a statement on Sunday publicly reminding the country's own government officials and agencies to speak with one voice on China. The DFA reaffirmed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is the chief architect of Philippine foreign policy and that all agencies must remain aligned with the administration's diplomatic direction, with internal differences settled through established inter-agency mechanisms rather than conflicting public statements.
"Public statements that undermine the government's diplomatic approach do more than complicate the work of our diplomats," the DFA said. "They risk eroding the country's credibility in international affairs and project an image of internal division that external parties can exploit. Such actions can ultimately weaken the Philippines' negotiating position." The statement added that documenting and publicising incidents in the West Philippine Sea is necessary, but that "transparency is a tool, not a strategy in itself," and must complement diplomacy, international law and other government measures.
The DFA also stressed that diplomatic engagement should not be mistaken for appeasement, and that defending national sovereignty requires both firmness and responsible dialogue. While the armed services are indispensable in documenting incidents, civilian authority directs the country's international relations, it said.
The statement comes after months of heated exchanges on social media between the Philippine military and security establishment and the Chinese Embassy in Manila. On Nov. 3, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone call at which both sides agreed to maintain diplomatic dialogue and properly manage differences; the DFA confirmed the call in a statement on Nov. 4. Manila hosts the ASEAN summit and related meetings this month.
(Source: Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines)
Source: Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于马尼拉的菲律宾外交部大楼；CC BY-SA 4.0，Wikimedia Commons / The Department of Foreign Affairs building in Manila; CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
