China welcomes Marcos' latest remark on One-China Policy

The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has welcomed President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr's statement that the Philippines still honors the One-China Policy, Unang Balita reported on Thursday.

"President Marcos reiterating One-China Policy and emphasizing that Taiwan is a province of China and the Philippines is not endorsing Taiwan independence," said Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian in an interview with reporters on Thursday.
 

WATCH: Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian Welcomes President Marcos' Reiteration of One China Policy, Emphasizes Philippines' Non-Endorsement of Taiwan Independence @gmanews pic.twitter.com/e1StPUo5Vw

— JP Soriano (@jpsoriano) January 25, 2024

The Chinese Embassy maintained that Taiwan is a province of China and hence under the People's Republic of China.

In an exclusive interview with GMA Integrated News on Tuesday, Marcos said the Philippines continues to adhere to the One-China Policy, and that his  congratulatory message to Taiwanese president-elect Lai Ching-te, which irked Beijing, was "common courtesy."

The Philippines does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a democratic self-ruling island which has been separated from the Chinese mainland since 1949.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, said China has put pressure on the Philippines after Marcos congratulated Lai.

"However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has noted that since Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. congratulated Taiwan, China has been strongly pressuring the Philippines and making crude and insulting comments," Taiwan's MOFA said.

The Taiwanese MOFA said it condemns "China’s malicious actions in the strongest terms and calls on all like-minded democratic countries to continue cooperating to help stop China’s authoritarian expansionism in the region and the world." —KBK, GMA Integrated News