Jamaine Punzalan

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela during a joint NTF-WPS press conference at the PCG Office in Manila on March 6, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Marilyn Cahatol

Bianca Dava

Zen Hernandez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176913383961620240306-afp-pcg-wps-presscon-JC-6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela during a joint NTF-WPS press conference at the PCG Office in Manila on March 6, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — Beijing has summoned Manila&#x27;s ambassador over a Philippine Coast Guard spokesman&#x27;s social media post that included cartoonish images of President Xi Jinping, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said. </p><p>It said Beijing&#x27;s Foreign Ministry summoned Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime Flor Cruz to &quot;again lodge serious protest&quot; over PCG spokesman Jay Tarriela&#x27;s Facebook post that included a photo of him giving a speech, with a background featuring a compilation of comical images of Xi under the banner &quot;Why China remains to be bully?&quot;</p><p>China&#x27;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Philippines has “turned a blind eye” on Tarriela’s “inflammatory, confrontational, misleading and baseless remarks against China.”</p><p>&quot;China does not accept that. Time for the Philippine side to undo the negative impact as soon as possible and stop tolerating the smear campaign and provocations, lest they disrupt normal diplomatic communication or further harm bilateral relations,&quot; ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;WILL NOT INTIMIDATE US&#x27; </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, Tarriela said &quot;threatening a public servant for telling the truth will not intimidate us.&quot;</p><p>&quot;It only proves that transparency is working—and that China fears an informed world more than it fears international law,” Tarriela said in a statement.</p><p>“Transparency in the West Philippine Sea is not provocation. It is merely exposing the bully aggressor and the real victim,” he said.</p><p>He added that if China truly wanted to reverse any “negative impact,” it should &quot;start by respecting the 2016 Arbitral Award, withdrawing from its illegally occupied reclaimed islands and ending the harassment of Filipino fishermen.&quot;</p><p>The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier reaffirmed its support for government officials and institutions carrying out their lawful duties in defense of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, while also reiterating that differences between states are best addressed through established diplomatic channels rather than public exchanges.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/7/ph-navy-details-growing-chinese-presence-in-wps-in-report-1652">PH Navy details growing Chinese presence in WPS in report</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/19/wider-chinese-vessel-deployment-increased-ph-patrol-operations-in-wps-in-2025-pcg-1729">Wider Chinese vessel deployment, increased Philippine patrol operations in WPS in 2025 – PCG</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>&#x27;BLATANT POLITICAL PROVOCATION&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Tarriela and a Chinese embassy official had been trading barbs over issues concerning the disputed South China Sea.</p><p>The crucial waterway, which Beijing claims historic rights to despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis, has been the site of repeated clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels.</p><p>The Chinese Embassy said Friday it has filed a diplomatic protest against the spokesman over a social media post that included cartoonish images of President Xi Jinping.</p><p>The embassy slammed the post for &quot;attacking and smearing Chinese leaders&quot; in a statement it released.</p><p>The move &quot;constitutes a serious violation of China&#x27;s political dignity&quot;, the embassy said adding that it is a &quot;blatant political provocation, which has crossed the red line&quot;.</p><p>The embassy expressed &quot;strong indignation&quot; to the presidential palace, foreign affairs department and coast guard demanding an explanation for Tarriela&#x27;s &quot;malicious provocations&quot;.</p><p>In response, Tarriela Friday branded the protest &quot;an attempt to deflect from the core issue: China&#x27;s repeated aggressive and illegal actions in the West Philippine Sea,&quot; using the Filipino term for the waters immediately west of the country.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/16/china-s-embassy-in-ph-accuses-tarriela-of-attacking-smearing-chinese-leaders-1408">&#x27;Blatant political provocation&#x27;: China protests PCG spox Tarriela&#x27;s post with Xi image</a></div><p>The protest comes days after China’s newly appointed ambassador to Manila, Jing Quan, urged both countries to choose cooperation over differences and said his mission would be to help stabilize ties — while warning that China “will not remain patient and silent” if it is defamed.</p><p>China’s Embassy has also engaged in a public exchange with Senator Risa Hontiveros, who described the Chinese mission as a “bad guest” in the Philippines.</p><p>In response, the Embassy defended its actions and rejected accusations of interference, saying it was “arrogant, ignorant, and paranoid” to label its statements as meddling in Philippine internal affairs. It criticized what it called a “warped logic” that allows attacks on China but condemns any response, calling this view hypocritical and disrespectful.</p><p>“People who don’t even understand what respect means, who don’t know how to treat a guest with basic courtesy, yet have the nerve to label others as a ‘bad guest’… To those who think they can smear China and expect silence: not a chance,” the Embassy said in a statement Friday, January 23.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RCteg2df-oI?si=b0PX2vJmc08ZjbP4" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>The protest also comes days after China’s newly appointed ambassador to Manila, Jing Quan, urged both countries to choose cooperation over differences and said his mission would be to help stabilize ties — while warning that China “will not remain patient and silent” if it is defamed.</p><div><br/></div><p>China’s Embassy has also engaged in a public exchange with Senator Risa Hontiveros, who described the Chinese mission as a “bad guest” in the Philippines.</p><div><br/></div><p>In response, the Embassy defended its actions and rejected accusations of interference, saying it was “arrogant, ignorant, and paranoid” to label its statements as meddling in Philippine internal affairs. It criticized what it called a “warped logic” that allows attacks on China but condemns any response, calling this view hypocritical and disrespectful.</p><div><br/></div><p>“People who don’t even understand what respect means, who don’t know how to treat a guest with basic courtesy, yet have the nerve to label others as a ‘bad guest’… To those who think they can smear China and expect silence: not a chance,” the Embassy said in a statement Friday, January 23.</p>

<p>Beijing has summoned Manila's ambassador over a Philippine Coast Guard spokesman's social media post that included cartoonish images of President Xi Jinping. </p>

Beijing has summoned Manila's ambassador over a Philippine Coast Guard spokesman's social media post that included cartoonish images of President Xi Jinping.

China summons PH envoy over coast guard's Xi images; Tarriela says 'threats will not silence truth'

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China summons PH envoy over coast guard's Xi images; Tarriela says 'threats will not silence truth'

Marilyn Cahatol,

Bianca Dava,

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 23, 2026 10:05 AM PHT

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Updated Jan 23, 2026 11:17 AM PHT

Read More:

China

Jay Tarriela

West Philippine Sea

South China Sea

Philippines

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