Managing a disputeHis arrival in Manila may have been inauspicious, coinciding with the eruption of a bitter word war between his embassy and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). But perhaps new Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan is someone who can help at least narrow the differences and prevent them from becoming irreconcilable. He’s not going to budge on official Chinese positions on our maritime dispute, and even defends the use of water cannons on our smaller vessels. Talking with him and his team reinforces my belief that neither country is going to change positions soon on the maritime dispute. Still, Jing says it’s possible to manage dispute resolution without compromising national sovereignty, while pursuing other aspects of bilateral ties.

Source: Philippine Star February 05, 2026 16:44 UTC