Marcos Seeks Reset in China Ties After South China Sea Clash

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan to Malacañang Palace on July 21 for an urgent 80-minute closed-door meeting, expressing a desire to “reset” the increasingly strained bilateral relationship following a violent confrontation in the South China Sea. The meeting came just days after Chinese Coast Guard personnel allegedly attacked Philippine Navy sailors with batons at Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), leaving one Filipino sailor with a bloody head injury.

According to GMA News, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro stated that Marcos wanted to ensure such incidents would not recur and that the relationship could be reset to a better footing. “Nag-usap sila at ang nais na mangyari dito ng Pangulo ay hindi na maulit ang mga pangyayari at ma-reset sana ang relasyon ng China at ng Pilipinas sa mas magandang pakikipag-ugnayan,” Castro said, translating to: “They talked and what the President wanted was that these incidents would not happen again and the relationship would be reset to one of better engagement.” Both sides agreed not to disclose details of the conversation, which Castro described as “constructive.”

The Trigger Incident

The meeting was summoned after a confrontation at Ayungin Shoal, where the grounded BRP Sierra Madre has served as a Philippine military outpost since 1999. The Armed Forces of the Philippines accused the China Coast Guard of “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions,” alleging that its personnel attacked Philippine Navy members with batons as they approached the vessel. Marcos condemned the incident and later visited the two injured soldiers in Palawan, conferring on them the Order of Lapu-Lapu.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs separately summoned the Philippine ambassador on the same day to protest alleged provocations at Ren’ai Jiao, the Chinese name for Ayungin Shoal.

China’s Conditional Response

Ambassador Jing Quan described the meeting with Marcos as “谈得非常好” (talked very well) but issued a pointed caveat. According to Guancha.cn, Jing urged the Philippines to “将表态落实在行动上” (translate statements into action), warning against saying they want a reset while tolerating anti-China provocations. This cautious response underscored Beijing’s skepticism about Manila’s willingness to follow through on diplomatic overtures.

Escalation Despite Diplomacy

Just days after the reset meeting, on July 24, China Coast Guard took control measures against Philippine vessels at Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal), illustrating the recurring pattern of simultaneous diplomatic engagement and maritime confrontation. The incident occurred as the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting convened in Manila, where the South China Sea disputes dominated the agenda.

US Involvement

President Donald Trump assured Marcos in a July 23 phone call that he would raise Philippine concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their expected meeting in September. Rappler reported that the call followed a courtesy visit by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Malacañang on July 22, during which Marcos updated him on the South China Sea incidents. Rubio, after meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, acknowledged that the South China Sea issue “comes up in every meeting” but emphasized the importance of dialogue.

As Nikkei Asia noted, the series of confrontations cast a pall over the ASEAN meetings, with the US and Australia criticizing Beijing’s actions. China responded by reiterating that “the US is not a party to South China Sea issues,” warning that countries leveraging external powers would become “a tool used by others.”

A Divided Diplomatic Landscape

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered unusually blunt criticism during his meeting with Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, describing the Philippines as a “source of disruption” and accusing certain military and police factions of acting on behalf of external forces rather than for the welfare of Filipinos. The strong language reflected Beijing’s growing frustration with what it perceives as Philippine duplicity—professing a desire for peace while deepening military ties with Washington through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

What a Reset Would Require

A genuine reset of China-Philippines relations would require both sides to address fundamental issues that have proven intractable for years. The Philippines insists on its rights under the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling, which Beijing continues to reject. The presence of the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal remains a persistent flashpoint, and the expanding US-Philippines alliance complicates Manila’s diplomatic posture toward Beijing.

Marcos, facing declining approval ratings and domestic political challenges including Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, may see de-escalation with China as a strategic necessity. Yet the simultaneous pursuit of closer US ties and a diplomatic reset with Beijing has proven difficult to sustain.

As the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting concluded in Manila, the fundamental tension remained unresolved: Both sides express willingness to talk, but neither appears ready to make the concessions necessary for a genuine breakthrough. The pattern of maritime confrontation followed by diplomatic outreach seems likely to continue, leaving the South China Sea’s most contentious flashpoints simmering beneath the surface of an uncertain reset.