US EditionPhilippines summons China’s ambassador after Beijing sanctions critical former senator
METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES, JUL 8 – The Philippines condemned China's ban on former senator Tolentino for his critical stance on sovereignty and maritime legislation, calling the sanctions inconsistent with diplomatic norms.
- On July 8, 2025, the Philippines called in Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to express objection over Beijing's decision to restrict former Senator Francis Tolentino’s entry into its territories.
- China imposed the sanctions on July 1, citing Tolentino's egregious conduct related to China, a day after his senatorial term ended, amid longstanding South China Sea disputes.
- Tolentino, who played a key role in drafting two laws defining the Philippines' maritime rights in the disputed and resource-abundant South China Sea, had previously accused China of conducting espionage through a Manila-based PR company.
- Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro called China's punitive measure inconsistent with mutual respect and noted senators have a mandate to inquire on national matters, while Tolentino called the sanctions a "badge of honor."
- The summons highlights deteriorating relations amid frequent maritime confrontations and the Philippines' commitment to resolving differences through diplomacy and continued engagement with China.
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Nearly nine years ago, on July 12, 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled overwhelmingly in the Philippines’ favor and invalidated China’s claims on the South China Sea. China’s nine-dash line had no basis, the PCA said. This was supposed to be a moment of victory for the Philippines. The legal validation that came from the arbitral court’s decision was intended to settle the questions that came with the territorial di…
Philippines summons Chinese envoy over sanctions against former
MANILA: The Philippines’ foreign ministry has summoned China’s ambassador to Manila over Beijing’s imposition of sanctions against former senator Francis Tolentino, the president’s office said on Tuesday. Tolentino, who lost his bid for a second term in the Philippines’ midterm elections in May, was banned from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau over “egregious conduct”
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The IndependentPhilippines summons China's ambassador after Beijing sanctions critical former senator
The Philippines' foreign ministry has summoned China's ambassador after Beijing imposed sanctions on a former Filipino senator who has been critical of China’s actions in the disputed South China Sea.
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