China’s ‘gutter level talk’ hit

Gibo rips Beijing spox for scolding Marcos for remarks on Taiwan

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday blasted China’s foreign affairs spokesperson for “gutter level talk” after she suggested President Marcos read more about the Taiwan issue.

In a statement, Teodoro said Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning “stooped to such low and gutter level talk—resorting to insulting our President and the Filipino nation, and further debasing herself, the Ministry, and Party she represents in the process.”

“But then again, we should not at all be surprised—being a nation and people enjoying the privileges, rights, and freedoms of a democratic society—that an agent of a Party and system of government incompatible with our way of life and who routinely spouts State-sanctioned propaganda and disinformation would go that far and that low,” Teodoro said.

“It is unfortunate, but I am, myself, unsurprised. The spokesperson’s statements were ‘on brand.’ We, and the world, should not expect more,” he added.

Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday urged the administration to review the so-called “One China” policy after Beijing rebuked Mr. Marcos for congratulating the newly elected Taiwan president, and told Manila “not to play with fire.”

The policy says the Philippines recognizes only the government in Beijing and does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which China views as a province.

In a social media post, President Marcos congratulated Taiwanese president-elect Lai Ching-te on his election and said he looked forward to “close collaboration” with him.

In reaction, Beijing summoned Philippine Ambassador to China Jame FlorCruz to protest the President’s message.

But Hontiveros said Beijing “has no business telling Filipinos what to say or not.”

“As I’ve called for before, we must review this so-called One China Policy. China has done far worse things in our territories compared to a congratulatory message to Taiwan,” she said in a statement.

On the other hand, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III said the Philippines needs to be consistent with its decision to adopt the One China policy, which has been in place for 40 to 50 years.

“We should be sensitive to the feelings of China,” he added.

Furthermore, Pimentel said Taiwan believes that it is not a province of the People’s Republic of China, while the PRC views Taiwan as a renegade province.

“So, do we go out of our way to greet the winner of that renegade province? We could have refrained from doing so,” Pimentel said.

China earlier this week asked President Marcos to “read more” so he could “develop a proper understanding of the ins and outs of the Taiwan question.”

Mao Ning, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, made the statement after President Marcos congratulated Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te on his victory, a move that Beijing considered as violative of the one-China principle.

Mao said the Philippine leader must do that so he could also “come to a right conclusion.”

In a media briefing on Tuesday, the Chinese official said Marcos’ remarks “gravely” violated not only the one-China principle, but also the communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines.

She said the comment seriously went against the Philippines’ political commitments to China, and blatantly interfered in China’s internal affairs.

“China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this and has immediately lodged strong representations to the Philippine side,” Mao said.

US disappointed in Nauru

Meanwhile, the United States has expressed disappointment in tiny Pacific nation Nauru for swapping its diplomatic ties with Taiwan for relations with China, while a de-facto US envoy to Taipei criticized the microstate’s “distorted” rationale.

Self-ruled Taiwan held a crucial poll Saturday, with voters electing pro-sovereignty candidate Lai Ching-te as the island’s next president.

China — which considers Taiwan part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to seize it — regards Lai as a dangerous “separatist” and warned that his election would bring “war and decline” to the island.

In a post-election blow to Taiwan, Nauru unexpectedly announced on Monday that it would no longer recognize Taiwan “as a separate country” but “rather as an inalienable part of China’s territory.”

In severing diplomatic ties with Taipei and establishing them with Beijing, Nauru left Taiwan with just 12 nations around the world that formally recognize it.

“While the government of Nauru’s action on Jan. 15 to sever its diplomatic relationship with Taiwan is a sovereign decision, it is nonetheless a disappointing one,” the US State Department said.

“Taiwan is a reliable, like-minded, and democratic partner. The PRC often makes promises in exchange for diplomatic relations that ultimately remain unfulfilled,” it said, referring to China by its official acronym.

Nauru — population 12,500 — is one of the world’s smallest countries and lies about 4,000 kilometers northeast of Sydney.

In making its decision, Nauru cited United Nations Resolution 2758, which recognizes the PRC as a representative of China in the global body.

Speaking to the media in Taipei, Laura Rosenberger, the chair of the United States’ de facto embassy in Taiwan, objected to Nauru’s use of that resolution to justify the diplomatic switch.

“UN Resolution 2758 did not make a determination on the status of Taiwan, does not preclude countries from having diplomatic relations with Taiwan and does not preclude Taiwan from meaningful participation in the UN system,” Rosenberger said.

“It is disappointing to see distorted narratives about UN resolution 2758 being used as a tool to pressure Taiwan, limit its voice on the international stage and influence its diplomatic relationships.”

China on Tuesday rebuked the United States’ expression of disappointment, calling it a “smear” on Beijing. With AFP

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