Jing Quan, formerly the second-in-command at the Chinese embassy in Washington, arrived in Manila on Saturday to assume his post as Beijing’s top envoy to the Philippines, pledging to both defend national interests and stabilise bilateral ties.
“As the ambassador, I will firmly safeguard China’s national interests and dignity, while also serving as a bridge to ensure China-Philippines relations stabilise rather than deteriorate, and that our peoples draw closer instead of drifting apart,” Jing was quoted as saying upon arrival, according to an embassy social media account.
“The task is heavy, but I am confident.”
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China-Philippines tensions have intensified over the past year following a string of maritime confrontations in the South China Sea, where territorial disputes over resource-rich waters have pushed the relationship to its most volatile point in years.
Amid those tensions, China has repeatedly warned of the growing American military presence in the South China Sea and Washington’s closer defence ties with the Philippines.
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The China-Philippines clashes have heightened the risk of a broader conflict that could pull in the United States, Manila’s treaty ally under the 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty.
The US deployed a Typhon missile system in the northern Philippines during a joint exercise last year. That system has since remained in place and from its installation position, could cover the Taiwan Strait as well as the South China Sea.