Marcos downplays Chinese envoy’s remarks on Filipinos in Taiwan as ‘lost in translation’

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he was a “little surprised” by the Chinese envoy’s speech. - Reuters

MANILA (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has downplayed the controversial remarks Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian made about migrant Filipino workers in Taiwan.

Huang drew criticism last Friday when he said at a Manila public forum that the Philippines should “unequivocally oppose Taiwan independence rather than stoking the fire by offering the United States access to military bases near the Taiwan Strait, if you care genuinely about the 150,000 overseas Filipino workers”.