Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela had earlier called Jing’s pronouncement a “direct threat”.
“No people feel fortunate when a larger neighbour repeatedly violates the law and then tells them to be thankful it was not worse,” he said in a post on X.
“Not using force against a country whose rights you are already violating is not peace. It is coercion by other means!” he said, adding that Philippine coast guard personnel were often subjected to ramming and water cannons.
The Chinese embassy in Manila, while confirming Jing’s remarks, accused Tarriela of taking them out of context and scheming to undermine bilateral relations.
“(Jing) emphasised that China views the Philippines as a neighbour across the sea and a friend bound to China by deep historical and cultural ties,” it said, adding it sought only “stable relations”.
Last week, the Philippine Coast Guard accused its Chinese counterparts of obstructing the medical evacuation of an ailing Filipino soldier near a disputed shoal in the contested South China Sea.
On Wednesday, Teodoro disputed Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte’s characterisation of the Philippines as a troublemaker in Southeast Asia.
“China is the troublemaker, because as far as the South Pacific, they are interfering. They are even dropping missiles,” he said, referencing a long-range ballistic missile test in June that drew regional protests.
