The Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday, Dec. 20, denied that China is tapping and funding some Filipinos to cause internal trouble in the country.

In a statement, the embassy said the allegation that China is engaged in such activity to supposedly “destabilize the Philippines is categorically false and baseless.”

The embassy said China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

“Who fabricated and provided such vicious intelligence reports? Out of what motivation? These questions are alarming and answers pressing,” it said.

The embassy statement came after Senator JV Ejercito bared that some social media users are trolling and attacking personalities who are critical of China. He added intelligence reports said they are being financed by China.

The embassy said some Filipinos politicians and officials have in the past few months repeatedly dramatized and hyped up maritime differences between the two countries. They are also “aiming at smearing and demonizing China and silencing the advocates of China-Philippines friendship.”

“A few of these people even went as far as groundlessly attacking the performance of normal duties of Chinese embassy and diplomats and fanning regional and world war,” the embassy said.

It said such irresponsible remarks heightened the tension over the South China Sea, “poisoned the atmosphere of China-Philippines relations and undermined the diplomatic efforts to manage our differences through dialogue and consultation.”

“Friendship and cooperation between China and the Philippines serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and reflect the common aspirations of the two peoples,” it said.

“It is no surprise that one’s anti-China stance gains no support from the general public,” it added.

The embassy said China is open for dialogue with the Philippines to settle maritime row.

“We urge those said individuals to do more in line with the interests of the Filipino people and China-Philippines friendship, instead of making irresponsible anti-China accusations,” it said.

“We also hope that the Philippine government listens to the voice of reason, acts upon the call of the two peoples, works with China to earnestly honor the consensus of the two heads-of-state on properly handling disputes through dialogue and consultation so as to ensure sound growth of China-Philippines ties and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea,” it added.