MANILA, Philippines — Lost in translation?
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. suggests Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian’s comments on OFW safety in Taiwan amid China-Taiwan tensions may have been misinterpreted.
He mentioned Huang’s statement that if the Philippines did not oppose the self-ruled island’s independence, the safety and welfare of 150,000 OFWs in Taiwan might be at risk.
“I think there must have been an element of lost in translation. English is not his first language, but I’m very interested to know what it is that he meant,” Marcos said in a chance interview Wednesday in Bulacan.
“I interpreted it as him trying to say that the PH should not provoke or intensify the tensions because it will impact badly on the Filipinos there. That’s how I take it,” he added.
The President plans to talk with the Chinese envoy soon. He was “a little surprised” by the envoy’s statement and hoped to clarify it.
“I will be talking to the ambassador soon, and I’m sure he will be very anxious to give his own interpretation of what he was trying to say,” Marcos said.
“We were all a little surprised, but I just put it down to the difference in language,” he added.
Huang had advised the Philippines to “unequivocally oppose” Taiwan’s independence instead of “stoking the fire” by giving American troops more access to local military bases.
Due to his statement, lawmakers have called for his recall as the envoy to the Philippines.
READ: China envoy told: Stop making excuses for ‘ill-advised’ remarks
The Chinese Embassy has since alleged that the ambassador’s remarks were taken “out of context.”