Liza Marcos-Chinese ambassador meeting not linked to policy, says Palace

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February 2, 2026 | 5:06pm

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang brushed aside on Monday, February 2, concerns over First Lady Liza Marcos' meeting with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan, saying her attendance at cultural events does not reflect the administration's policy on diplomatic matters.

Liza Marcos and Jing met on January 31 at a piano concert by Chinese artist Lang Lang at the Proscenium Theater in Makati. The First Lady posted on social media about the "beautiful evening of music" alongside a photo with the ambassador. Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy shared a photo of the pair captioned: "Pleasant talk with First Lady."

Asked about the significance of their meeting at a press briefing today, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the first lady's attendance at public cultural events should not be read as a signal of policy direction or diplomatic intent. 

"Even if the First Lady attends public cultural events, this does not reflect any policy direction and is not linked to any diplomatic matters," Castro said in mixed English and Filipino.

It's common for the first lady to frequent several diplomatic events, but the brief interaction between Marcos and the ambassador drew attention because it came amid escalating public spats between the Chinese embassy and Philippine officials. 

Since the start of the year, the deputy spokesperson of the embassy has issued several public rebukes of lawmakers and Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela. These embassy statements — which often include pointed remarks that question lawmakers' understanding of the South China Sea dispute — have already drawn the ire and concern of the Senate and the Department of Foreign Affairs, with the latter recently stepping in to call for a de-escalation.

Frustrated by the hostile tone of the embassy's statements, Senate President Tito Sotto however also recently floated the possibility of declaring the Chinese ambassador himself persona non grata — a power that is reserved only for the president.

Diplomacy a priority, says Palace

Whether this came up in the discussion between Marcos and the ambassador is unknown. 

"Whatever they discussed, we have no personal knowledge and the First Lady has not relayed it," Castro said when asked about the conversation between Marcos and the ambassador.

Castro said Congress is free to pursue its own resolution calling to declare Wang persona non grata if members choose to do so, noting that Congress "has its own activities not covered by the President."

In the end, Castro said the Marcos administration will err on the side of diplomacy. 

“China, the President, and this administration all know that diplomacy is the only approach we want in addressing any issue,” the Palace press officer said in mixed English and Filipino. “China is aware of this, which is why tensions between the two countries will not escalate.”