“Welcome to the Philippines, Province of China” banners
The Philippines will never be a province of China, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua said on Tuesday.
The ambassador made the remark after banners with the words “Welcome to the Philippines, Province of China” were hung around Metro Manila on July 12.
“It has never been any part of China. No, not now, not ever,” Zhao told reporters in an ambush interview in Manila.
The Chinese envoy is in Intramuros for the groundbreaking of the Binondo-Intramuros bridge, a project funded by China. President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to lead the inauguration.
Zhao said the banners were a “vicious attack” on the relations between the Philippines and China.
“It’s a kind of vicious attack, not only on the relations between the two countries but also on the independent foreign policy of President Duterte and his administration,” he said.
Asked if banners were offensive to the Chinese government, he said, “I don’t think it is offensive, but it is bad.”
On July 12, the banners calling the Philippines a province of China were seen hanging at some footbridges in the metro.
Malacanang has accused the “enemies of the government” as the ones behind these banners./
READ: Palace: Enemies of gov’t behind ‘PH, Province of China’ banners
Duterte had earlier joked that China could make the Philippines its province.
READ: Make PH a province of China, Duterte jokes in front of Chinese envoy
/vvp