China tells Philippines to rein in politicians it says crossed 'red lines'

China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, has told the Philippines to restrain politicians who he said had "repeatedly attacked and smeared China" and crossed its "red lines", in a phone call with Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro on Tuesday, according to China's account of the call as carried by the state broadcaster CGTN and AFP.

The call came two weeks before Manila hosts the ASEAN summit and related meetings, including the East Asia Summit, on 16 to 18 November. Lazaro called the conversation "frank and constructive". The presidential palace in Manila said on Wednesday that Philippine officials would not be stopped from defending the country's rights in the South China Sea.

What each side said

According to the Chinese readout, as reported by CGTN, Wang said China-Philippines relations were facing "malicious interference" and accused unnamed Philippine politicians of acting out of political prejudice and self-interest and of politicising trade and people-to-people exchanges. He called that conduct irrational and intolerable, urged Manila to "exercise prudence in its words and actions on maritime issues", and asked it to strengthen oversight of "the individuals concerned" and send "a rational and unified message on its China policy". He said China's resolve to defend its sovereignty and "national reunification", Beijing's term for its claim to Taiwan, was unwavering. CGTN said the call was made at Lazaro's request.

The Chinese account said Lazaro told Wang that the Philippines valued stable, predictable relations, remained committed to the one-China policy and was willing to handle maritime issues through dialogue. In her own post on social media, quoted by AFP, Lazaro said both sides "emphasised the need for continued diplomatic dialogue and the proper management of differences anchored on mutual respect". She did not mention the "red lines" complaint.

Asked at a briefing on Wednesday whether the palace would step in, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Manila could not stop leaders whose mandate was to defend the country's rights and interests in the West Philippine Sea, Manila's name for the parts of the South China Sea it claims, and that diplomacy should guide relations without preventing officials from doing their jobs, BNC reported.

How the row built up

Relations have been strained for months by confrontations at sea. Last week China accused the Philippines of putting "multiple obstacles" in the way of its participation in a regional meeting hosted by Manila, a charge the Philippine defence chief rejected, AFP reported. In October the Philippine foreign ministry summoned China's ambassador after he was reported to have said China would "easily win" a conflict between the two countries; some senators called for his expulsion.

China claims most of the South China Sea. An international arbitration tribunal ruled in 2016 that the claim has no legal basis, a ruling Beijing rejects. The Philippines is a treaty ally of the United States, and the two ministers also discussed the APEC leaders' meeting that China hosts in Shenzhen this month, according to CGTN.

Why it matters for India

India has a growing defence relationship with Manila. The Philippines bought the BrahMos anti-ship missile system from India in 2022, and the two navies held a bilateral exercise in the South China Sea in August 2025, which drew a protest from China's Southern Theatre Command, The Tribune reported. Indian trade with East Asia also passes through the sea.

Manila is also where a Quad leaders' summit of India, the US, Japan and Australia is expected this month. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after the Quad foreign ministers met in Atlanta on 31 October that it would be held in Manila in November, though no date has been announced and India has not said whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend. A sharper China-Philippines dispute would sit at the centre of both that meeting and the ASEAN summits.

What happens next

• The ASEAN summit and related summits are scheduled in Manila from 16 to 18 November; China had not announced its attendance, according to AFP.
• The date of the Quad leaders' summit in Manila is still to be announced.
• China hosts the APEC leaders' meeting in Shenzhen in November.