Senator Risa Hontiveros has called on the Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian to take with him the Chinese ships in the West Philippines and leave the country.
The call comes after Xilian advised the Philippines to "unequivocally oppose" Taiwan's independence rather than offer the United States access to military bases near the Taiwan Strait if it "genuinely cares" about 150,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there.
"These are truly DISGRACEFUL statements from Ambassador Huang Xilian. How dare he threaten us. Our OFWs in Taiwan will continue to work where they work. End of story. Filipinos will thrive and make a living according to our wishes," she stressed in a statement posted on her official Facebook page.
The Senator asserted that the country will "never interfere with the issue of Taiwanese independence" as it "respects the right of the Taiwanese people to self-determination."
Hontiveros also appealed to Malacañang Palace to tell China to "recall" the Chinese Ambassador "as soon as possible", adding that Xilian should not be a diplomat if he cannot "engage" with the country "in a respectful and dignified manner."
She also pointed out that if China has issues with the US, it should not drag the country into this.
"It is China who has been stoking tensions in the region, claiming territories that aren’t hers. It is China that continues to bully, harass, and intimidate other smaller nations in the region. It is China who is making all this mess," the Senator lamented.
