The Chinese Embassy in Manila said Friday that China’s foreign ministry has summoned the Philippine ambassador to Beijing, accusing Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Jay Tarriela of conducting a “smear campaign” against China.
In a statement, the embassy said Beijing lodged “solemn representations and strong protest” over Tarriela’s remarks on the West Philippine Sea.
“Earlier this week, we stated China’s serious position on the remarks by this ‘spokesperson’ of the Philippine Coast Guard,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a press conference.
Guo added that the head of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of Asian Affairs summoned the Philippine ambassador on Friday to reiterate the protest.
In an earlier statement, Tarriela rejected the allegations, saying his posts are neither “smears” nor “slanders” but factual accounts supported by video footage, photographs, official PCG reports, and third-party observations.
“My role as Spokesperson for the WPS is to transparently communicate these realities to the Filipino people and the world, in full alignment with our government’s commitment to a rules-based order and international law,” Tarriela said.
He added that objections from the Chinese Embassy to images or expressions highlighting alleged violations “only underscore discomfort with the truth being exposed.”
The DFA earlier expressed full support for elected officials and government institutions defending the Philippines’ sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, while stressing that differences between states are best addressed through established diplomatic channels rather than public exchanges.
