China tells Philippines to stop politicians crossing 'red lines'

BEIJING: China's top diplomat Wang Yi urged the Philippines on Tuesday (Nov 3) to rein in politicians who had repeatedly "smeared" Beijing and crossed its "red lines".

The two Asian nations have long been at loggerheads over competing claims in the South China Sea, but tensions have risen in recent weeks following several diplomatic incidents.

Beijing accused Manila last week of "erecting multiple obstacles" to its attendance at a regional meeting in the Philippines, a claim rejected by the Southeast Asian country's defence chief.

Earlier in October, the Philippine foreign ministry summoned Beijing's ambassador after he said China would "easily win" a conflict between the countries, with some local senators calling for his expulsion.

Wang told his Philippine counterpart Theresa Lazaro in a phone call on Tuesday that bilateral relations "were currently facing malicious interference", according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

A "small number of politicians" from the Philippines have "repeatedly attacked and smeared China out of political prejudice and for their own selfish interests, crossing China's red lines", Wang added, without giving specific details.

He said Manila should "strengthen its oversight of the individuals concerned and send a rational and unified message on its China policy".

Lazaro, in a social media post, said the conversation was "frank and constructive", adding that "both sides emphasised the need for continued diplomatic dialogue and the proper management of differences anchored on mutual respect".

US ally the Philippines has been engaged in years of confrontations with China over disputed areas of the South China Sea, with repeated incidents occurring in recent months.

Beijing claims most of the strategic waterway despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.