Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 19) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he will speak to Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian to hopefully get clarification over his recent controversial remark about the situation of overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan.
Huang’s advice to the Philippine government to oppose Taiwan independence if it “genuinely cares” about its migrant workers drew flak from some lawmakers and netizens — but Marcos cited a possible “difference in language.”
“I think there must have been like an element of ‘lost in translation.’ English is not his first language,” Marcos explained in an ambush interview with reporters in Bulacan.
“I interpret it as him trying to say [that] the Philippines [should] not provoke or intensify the tensions because it will impact badly on the Filipinos. That’s how I take it.”
“But I’ll be talking to the ambassador soon and I am sure he’ll be very anxious to give his own interpretation of what he was trying to say,” he added.
In a forum speech last week, Huang warned the Philippines against the United States’ use of military sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, claiming that Washington “intends to take advantage” of these to interfere in the ongoing tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
“The Philippines is advised to unequivocally oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ rather than stoking the fire by offering the US access to the military bases near the Taiwan Strait if you care genuinely about the 150,000 OFWs,” Huang said.
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The Chinese Embassy earlier said some reports may have “misquoted or misinterpreted” Huang’s comments, but offered no details to journalists who pressed for clarification.
In his first public appearance since his speech, the ambassador also did not comment on the matter, and instead stressed the importance of maintaining Philippine-China friendship.
“China, Philippine friendship have lasted for centuries if not millenniums and those friendship should be cherished,” Huang said Wednesday during the International Chinese Language Day celebration in Binondo.
CNN Philippines’ Alyssa Rola and Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report.
