China Says Filipino Worker Arrests Stemmed From Immigration Violations, Not May Detention of 70 Chinese
Updated
Updated · The Manila Times · Aug 15
China Says Filipino Worker Arrests Stemmed From Immigration Violations, Not May Detention of 70 Chinese
1 articles · Updated · The Manila Times · Aug 15
Summary
Guo Jiakun said China arrested Filipino workers for overstaying or illegal employment, rejecting claims the detentions were retaliation for the May arrest of about 70 Chinese workers at Philippine Sanjia Steel.
Those retaliation claims surfaced after a Philippine Senate hearing said Beijing had warned of arrests if the Sanjia detainees were not released, a charge the Chinese statement sought to undercut.
The report ties the May Sanjia raid to a broader US military plan for the 3,000-hectare Phividec estate, citing Adm. Samuel Paparo’s April 6 submission to Congress on Indo-Pacific deterrence.
That plan was linked to the Trump administration’s $1.5 trillion defense request, including a 44% spending increase and $592 million for Quicksink anti-ship kits aimed at countering China’s larger Pacific fleet.
The dispute lands amid wider US-Philippine security coordination and persistent Philippines-China tensions, with the article arguing diplomatic channels remain active despite the arrests.