President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said the Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines’ remarks suggesting China could easily win if it resorts to force warrant a discussion, describing the statement as sounding like a threat and inconsistent with diplomatic conduct.

Marcos attended the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) 125th founding anniversary celebration at the Eva Macapagal Super Terminal in Manila when reporters asked him for comments on the statement of Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan.

“Well, it sounds very much to me like a threat, and it is not a very diplomatic statement to be made. So, we perhaps would like to understand what exactly it is that he means,” the President added.

When reporters pressed him on whether the Chinese diplomat will be summoned, Marcos said the matter warranted a direct discussion.

On Thursday, Jiang who was reacting to a comment made by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro that China is the ''troublemaker'' in the region told reporters in an ambush interview:'' That’s nonsense. Who’s the troublemaker? Look at who go after Chinese teachers? They’re innocent. Who led the army to arrest Chinese innocent workers? Who every day smear, attack China? We should feel fortunate enough that you have a neighbour like China in this region. If we want to use force, we may easily win. But no, we will not choose force, and we love peace.''

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it regretted that ambassador ''had a poor choice of words that would seem to convey a thinly veiled threat of the use of force, which is hardly helpful in the context of the complicated bilateral ties between the Philippines and China.'' Presidential News Desk-PHS