Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has proposed a formal sit-down meeting between senators and Chinese embassy officials to de-escalate the heated rhetoric over the West Philippine Sea. This follows the Chinese ambassador's call to talk. The aim is to foster civilized discourse rather than public debates.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson announced on Monday that he would propose a formal sit-down meeting between senators and officials from the Chinese embassy to de-escalate the weeks-long exchange of heated rhetoric over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). He plans to urge Senate President Vicente Sotto III to arrange the dialogue, viewing the Chinese ambassador's recent “let’s talk” remark as a “pleasant surprise” and a potential way to end the diplomatic row.
“That’s a breath of fresh air. I think that’s a good opening so we can go in that direction,” Lacson told radio dwIZ. He suggested the meeting could occur at the Senate, the embassy grounds, or a neutral venue. It should include colleagues targeted by the embassy's recent criticisms, such as Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan.
“This is better. It is different when face to face, you are more cordial and professional instead of having us debate in the session,” he added. The main goal is not to resolve the territorial dispute right away but to agree on a civilized manner of discourse to avoid further public flare-ups.
Last week, Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan urged Philippine officials to “sit down and talk” to manage maritime disputes, warning that confrontation between neighbors leads to long-term diplomatic damage. At a Chinese New Year event, he noted that political dialogue between Manila and Beijing had “nearly come to a standstill” for over a year, stressing that “nobody wants to resort to force” and the situation must change soon. This came days after the Senate adopted a resolution condemning Chinese diplomats for hostile rhetoric—which the embassy dismissed as a “political stunt”—and amid Beijing's ban on officials from Kalayaan, Palawan, entering China.
The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives stated that the Chinese embassy's threats of economic sanctions are inconsistent with calls for peaceful resolutions in the WPS. “China’s government should dial down their rhetoric as well as cease their aggressive actions,” their statement said. They advised the Philippine government against escalating tensions by aligning with the US and allowing increased US military presence.
In a statement, embassy spokesman Ji Lingpeng questioned Philippine senators on “who they think they are,” asserting the embassy is neither intimidated nor threatened by such “tricks” and that some politicians are ignorant and arrogant.