President Marcos was told to refrain from playing fire on issues concerning China's internal affairs after stressing that the Philippines "cannot stay out" of potential conflict in Taiwan due to its proximity and the presence of thousands of Filipino workers there.

China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun has called out the Philippines for Marcos' recent comment on Taiwan, which the China side said is China’s internal affair. Thus, the Philippines must stay out of it.

"There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair which is at the very core of China’s core interests. How to settle it is a matter for the Chinese ourselves, which brooks no interference," he said.

"We urge the Philippines to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the spirit of China-Philippines Joint Communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations, and refrain from playing fire on issues bearing on China’s core interests," he also said.

The Chinese official accused Marcos of using his argument as a pretext to interfere in other countries' internal affairs.

"It needs to be further stressed that 'near geographic location' and 'a large amount of Filipinos in Taiwan' should not be used as pretexts to interfere in the internal and sovereign affairs of other countries," Guo Jiakun said.

He added that such claims do not only contravene international law and the ASEAN Charter, "but also harm regional peace and stability and the fundamental interests of its own people."

He also urged the Philippines to abide by the one-China policy, further accusing the Philippines of disregarding it, even "making wrong and provocative remarks and actions."

"The Philippine government has made serious commitments to China that it adheres to the one-China policy, recognizes that Taiwan is an integral part of the Chinese territory and understands the Chinese government’s efforts to realize national reunification. The Philippine leader also said clearly to China that 'the Philippines is committed to the one-China policy. The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair that must be solved by the Chinese people'," the Foreign Ministry spokesperson stressed.

"These words are written in black and white, but the Philippines is now going back on its words in disregard of the grave consequences. It has kept making wrong and provocative remarks and actions, kept fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle, and kept harming the China-Philippines relations," he added.

He further said that "China firmly opposes this," adding that the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Embassy in the Philippines have lodged serious protests with the Philippine side.