Beijing’s ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan has denied making threats after he was summoned over his recent comments that China could “easily win” a war between the two countries.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro met Jing on Monday to express “serious concern and strong objections” over his “provocative and unacceptable” language.
Lazaro added that he had aggravated an already sensitive situation and undermined efforts to build mutual understanding between the two countries, according to the Philippine foreign ministry, which said he had “conveyed a threat”.
On Thursday, Jing told a forum in Quezon City that Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro’s description of China as a regional “troublemaker” was “nonsense”.