China blasts president of the Philippines for congratulating Taiwan election winner

Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — China’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Philippine ambassador and denounced remarks by the country’s President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday congratulating the winner of Taiwan’s presidential election, Lai Ching-te. Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporter Tuesday that Marcos’s remarks “seriously violated the political commitments made by the Philippines to China, and rudely interfered in China’s internal affairs.” Marcos had said in a statement shared on social media that he looking “forward to close collaboration” and “strengthening mutual interests. China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be recovered by force if necessary. Mao added that China “would like to sternly tell the Philippines not to play with fire on the Taiwan issue.”