This warning follows instances of harassment against Chinese nationals along with a number of espionage activities and online gaming clampdowns initiated by Manila.
The Philippines
has assured China that its citizens are not facing harassment following the Chinese embassy’s statement
travel advisory
However, experts caution that local authorities might be leveraging Manila’s recent anti-espionage and online gaming initiatives as a smokescreen for their growing anti-Chinese sentiment.
The embassy released an advisory on Tuesday highlighting various challenges encountered by Chinese individuals and enterprises, including instances of harassment and scrutiny. Additionally, it pointed out the rise in political events and demonstrations in the Philippines as potential concerns for Chinese expatriates.
“Public security in the Philippines has been unstable, with frequent incidents of law enforcement authorities harassing and inspecting Chinese citizens and enterprises,” the embassy said in a statement translated to English.
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The embassy did not provide any specific instances; however, this warning was issued after the detention of several Chinese citizens for espionage in the Philippines. This followed intensified actions by local law enforcement agencies as well as stricter controls imposed on the recently outlawed offshore gambling centers known as POGOs, which were frequented primarily by Chinese tourists.
In January, officials arrested five individuals from China on suspicion of pretending to be visitors from Taiwan with the aim of spying on the Philippines Coast Guard and Navy in Palawan — an island located across the South China Sea.
In the same period, law enforcement apprehended a Chinese citizen named Deng Yuanqing along with two Filipinos for reportedly surveying more than 120 crucial locations across Luzon, which encompassed harbors and facilities accessible to U.S. armed forces.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Undersecretary Claire Castro of the Presidential Communications Office refuted the allegations of harassment, asserting that the Philippines accepts everyone except those who break the law.
“The travel advisory they mentioned is simply a routine consular service provided by China. We can guarantee that our actions do not target individuals from any specific country or nationality with harassment,” Castro stated.
According to Castro, the situations involving Chinese nationals employed in Pogos constituted a distinct matter due to their involvement in illegal activities.
Pogos primarily served clients from China, where gambling is prohibited. Last July, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced an instant prohibition on the industry due to multiple allegations of criminal actions associated with their operations.
Beijing has kept its distance from Pogos, endorsing Marcos Jr’s ban.
‘People who are Chinese-looking’
When commenting on the issue, Filipino-Chinese leader and social activist Teresita Ang See informed This Week in Asia about several reports of harassment targeting Chinese citizens within the nation.
She mentioned an occurrence where authorities went to condominiums in Manila, questioning security personnel and parking staff about the apartments occupied by numerous Chinese residents.
“The head of security alerted the building manager, who then notified the residents of the condo. As a result, all the residents—many having lived there for over three decades—are now frightened,” stated See, referring to a residential high-rise in Manila but not specifying which one.
The building manager told her directly about what happened.
She stated that discussions on the Chinese app WeChat indicated that certain enforcement officers might have reportedly been halting Chinese citizens to inquire if they worked as Pogo employees.
Refer to the reported incidents shared on WeChat where visiting Chinese professors were playfully questioned by students about being spies. She mentioned, “Although intended as a joke, this was still offensive to the professors.”
The Filipino-Chinese hikers trekking along the Pinatubo trail, located north of Manila, were likewise halted and requested to present their birth certificates even though they spoke the local dialect, as mentioned in the additional information provided.
“China-Philippines ties have been negatively impacted. During the recent Lunar New Year, the Bahay Tsinoy witnessed an unusually low number of Chinese visitors for the first time,” See stated, mentioning a museum that highlights the role of Chinese people in the country’s history.
Castro stated that the government is not focusing on any locals. Following this, she ought to request law enforcement officers to fulfill their duties. She should inquire as to why they stop individuals merely because they appear to be of Chinese descent.
‘Tougher even than securing a US visa’
A different figure within the Filipino-Chinese community, Wilson Lee Flores—a political-economist and honorary chairperson at the Anvil Business Club in Manila—spoke with This Week in Asia about the challenges faced. He mentioned that individuals such as traders, collaborators, technical consultants, and providers of machinery from China struggled to obtain visas through both the Philippine embassy and consulates.
“A Chinese businessperson I encountered in Thailand mentioned that obtaining a Filipino visa is even harder compared to getting one for the United States. This is why genuine travelers and tourists have become less inclined to visit the Philippines. Instead, they favor destinations like Europe, Singapore, Japan, and Thailand,” Flores stated.
In 2024, the tourism authority stated that the number of Chinese visitors arriving in the Philippines reached 313,856 in the previous year, marking an uptick from 264,922 in 2023.
Nevertheless, the most recent figure represents a significant drop compared to earlier years when China ranked as one of the top sources for international travelers visiting the Philippines. Data from the tourism department shows that in 2019, approximately 1.7 million tourists arrived from China.
Regarding the possibility of increased Sinophobia influencing official actions, Flores commented: “This is what worries us… The Pogo problem seems to have become a pretext… However, genuine entrepreneurs and travelers do not wish to pay bribes merely to secure a visa appointment.”
Missed opportunities in investment and tourism abound.
The Pogos sector was connected to a series of criminal activities such as human trafficking, abductions, and prostitution.
During the peak of the Pogos boom, over 300,000 Chinese workers found employment in this industry.
However, Castro mentioned that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) was prepared to engage with the Chinese government regarding the matters involving the Chinese nationals who were detained and expelled due to connections with unlawful Pogos.
“Many of the people involved are Chinese citizens. Therefore, this is likely part of the issue,” Castro stated.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is open to discussions about this matter, and we will reassure China that our actions are not aimed at any specific national group.
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The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which serves as the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.
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