A recall of the Philippine ambassador to Beijing and declaring specific Chinese officials as persona non grata are among the next diplomatic steps the Philippines can take for China’s continued presence in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), former foreign secretary Albert Del Rosario said yesterday. In a statement, del Rosario raised the options available to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., as China still refused to withdraw its ships in the WPS. “Undoubtedly, our Secretary of Foreign Affairs must have evaluated the various diplomatic options that are available to him,” Del Rosario said.

Lee-Brago, P., & Flores, H. (2021, May 17). Del Rosario proposes diplomatic options against China WPS presence. The Philippine Star, p. 3.