Photo credit: DFA

The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is pushing back after the Chinese Embassy suggested that strained relations could cost Filipino workers millions of jobs.

In a statement Monday night, the DFA emphasized that it values cooperation with all countries—economically, culturally, and beyond—and that such partnerships bring real benefits to Filipinos. But the department made it clear it takes strong exception to the embassy’s framing, which it says could be seen as coercive.

“In the current atmosphere, this framing risks being perceived as coercive and undermines constructive bilateral dialogue,” the DFA said, urging the Chinese Embassy to adopt a responsible and measured tone in public exchanges.

The warning from China came after some Philippine lawmakers raised concerns about Chinese diplomats’ activities. Embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng cautioned that any downgrade in ties could affect jobs and the economy, framing it as a caution for lawmakers. Critics, however, saw it as a veiled economic threat, especially amid ongoing tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Maritime disputes have been a sticking point for years, particularly over resupply missions and the presence of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters. The Philippines continues to assert its rights under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral ruling, which invalidated China’s broad claims in the South China Sea—claims China rejects.

Despite these tensions, economic and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries continue. The DFA reiterated its commitment to diplomacy, saying disputes must be managed responsibly and public dialogue should prioritize constructive engagement.