Thu, July 12, 2012
By Mei Jingya, Sina English
Philippine presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda on Wednesday warned China to be careful when making statements about the Philippines. And he said it loud and clear, in Mandarin Chinese, "Xiao xin yi dian!"
“Can I say to the Chinese 'xiao xin yi dian?' Be a little careful about your statements,” Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing. He was reacting to a question about a commentary published in China’s state newspaper the People’s Daily denouncing the Philippine provocation to ask for US spy plane deployment in the South China Sea.
He explained that President Benigno Aquino III's remarks were taken out of context and misinterpreted by the Chinese side and that “we don’t view it as a provocative statement.”
“By no stretch of the imagination can you consider the Philippines an aggressor,” Lacierda added.
Lacierda has Chinese blood and can speak Mandarin fluently. His ‘Xiao xin yi dian’ warning was, by no means, made to show off his language skills. But it has become a talking point both in the Philippines and China.
Related:
Philippines: U.S. might be invited to help South China Sea surveillance
US pledges information sharing with the Philippines
