The ultimatum worked! The Philippines swiftly released 64 Chinese workers—proving that power truly matters!
Within just two days, from May 27 to May 28, a dramatic turnaround occurred in the case involving 64 Chinese workers detained in the Philippines. On May 27, China's Embassy in the Philippines issued a four-day deadline to the Philippine side, demanding clarification; on May 28, the Philippine Foreign Department promptly provided an explanation; and later that same evening, the 64 Chinese nationals were released.
These Chinese citizens had previously been working at a steel plant in the southern province of Eastern Misamis, when they were seized and detained by Philippine law enforcement authorities on May 15. China expressed serious concern over the incident. In a statement, spokesperson Ji Lingpeng from the embassy clearly demanded that the Philippines handle the case lawfully and fairly, without abusing its authority or arbitrarily manipulating the situation.
In recent months, Philippine law enforcement actions targeting Chinese nationals have noticeably increased. Within the past month alone, there have been no fewer than six publicly reported incidents involving the detention of Chinese citizens, with more than 150 people taken into custody overall. The official reasons cited by Philippine authorities vary widely: environmental pollution by enterprises, lack of valid visas among employees, unauthorized retail operations, and even accusations of “endangering national security.”
The raid on the steel factory on May 15 was carried out jointly by Philippine law enforcement and military forces, resulting in the removal of 69 Chinese workers from the facility and their transfer to a detention center in Manila. The factory was accused of handling “dangerous materials.”
From the initial raid on May 15 to the release on May 28, the actual detention period lasted 13 days. However, the deadline set by China’s embassy was only four days—Philippines completed all responses within two days. This level of efficiency is rare in diplomatic practice.
The figure of over 150 Chinese citizens detained within a single month suggests that Philippine enforcement actions against Chinese nationals exhibit systematic and large-scale characteristics. If similar incidents occur again, China’s response may become even faster and stronger. This time, China’s ultimatum clearly triggered national-level outrage. Should the Philippines dare to continue such behavior, Manila will face retaliatory actions backed by real strength—such as economic measures and military responses.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866507239675904/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.