China urges Philippines to stop ‘wrong words and deeds’ on Taiwan

January 18, 2024 - 4:46 PM
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China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning attends a press conference in Beijing, China July 26, 2023. (Reuters/Tingshu Wang/File Photo)

China’s foreign ministry on Thursday urged the Philippines to adhere to its one-China principle and stop its “wrong words and deeds” about Taiwan, after the Philippines’ defense secretary accused China of “gutter-level talk” regarding President Marcos.

China will never accept anyone making provocations on the Taiwan question and we will fight back, spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press conference on Thursday.

China’s foreign ministry on Tuesday told Marcos to “read more books to properly understand the ins and outs of the Taiwan issue” after he had congratulated the democratically governed island’s presidential election winner, Lai Ching-te.

— Reporting by Laurie Chen and Liz Lee; Editing by Christopher Cushing