Año wants expulsion of Chinese diplomats over ‘disinformation’

MANILA, Philippines — Chinese diplomats in Manila should be expelled for their “repeated acts of engaging and dissemination of disinformation, misinformation and malinformation,” National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said yesterday.

Año’s call came after an alleged leak of a phone conversation between a Chinese diplomat and Western Command (Wescom) chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos on a supposed agreement on a “new model” for managing the BRP Sierra Madre resupply issue.

In a statement, Año said the Chinese diplomats’ actions “should not be allowed to pass unsanctioned without serious penalty.” 

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian called Año’s comments provocative and said Chinese diplomats should be allowed to do their job.

“China solemnly requests the Philippine side to effectively safeguard the normal performance of duties by Chinese diplomatic personnel, stop infringing and provoking and refrain from denying the facts,” Lin said at a regular press briefing in Beijing.

Chinese coast guard and maritime militia ships have upped their harassment of Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea, especially those involved in missions to resupply the Philippine military outpost on Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

The Philippines had just ended its joint annual military exercises with the United States. The drills attracted other allies like Japan, Australia and France.

Beijing considers the joint exercises, called Balikatan, a provocation.

The expelling of diplomats could intensify a row that has so far seen heated exchanges, diplomatic protests and the ramming and water-cannoning of resupply ships in Ayungin and in Panatag (Scarborough) shoals, the closest of which is more than 850 km away from mainland China.

The national security adviser said he backed the call of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to take appropriate action against embassy officials, who he claimed recorded an alleged phone conversation in violation of Philippine laws, including its anti-wire tapping act, as well as serious breaches of diplomatic protocols.

“Those individuals in the Chinese embassy... and those responsible for these malign influence and interference operations must be removed from the country immediately,” Año said.

The Chinese embassy’s objective “in its indiscriminate releasing of these falsehoods and smears have been, and continues to be, to sow discord, division and disunity between and among the Filipino people,” he added.

“Without a doubt, these are serious breaches of the basic norms of international relations and diplomacy by the embassy,” he pointed out, adding that the DFA had repeatedly emphasized that only the President can enter into international agreements with a foreign party.

“Bypassing official and long established channels and protocols, talking to officials without the requisite authorities or bona fides, then maliciously claiming that alleged discussions should bind the Philippine government is farcical, foolish and reckless,” Año said.

On Wednesday, Chinese spokesperson Lin said the embassy in Manila had released details about “relevant communications” between the two countries on managing the situation in Ayungin Shoal.

Lin, in comments shared by the embassy, did not elaborate on what details or communications were released, or when, but said “facts are clear and backed by hard evidence that cannot be denied.”

“The Philippines has insisted on denying these objective facts and seeks to mislead the international community,” Lin added.