Philippines protests Jing Quan's force remarks over South China Sea
Things got tense between the Philippines and China after Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan made some pointed comments about the South China Sea dispute.
The Philippines called out Jing for what it saw as a not-so-subtle threat, especially when he said China could use force but "If we want to use force, we may easily win. But no, we will not choose force and we love peace."
The protest comes as both countries continue to clash over who controls parts of the sea.
Philippine government objects, China rebuts
The Philippine government didn't hold back, labeling Jing's remarks as undiplomatic and warning they could hurt trust even more. President Marcos Jr. also questioned the ambassador's intentions.
On the flip side, China's embassy said its words were misunderstood and urged the Philippine side to keep things cool to avoid making tensions worse.