Tributes pour in for late Philippine ambassador hailed as ‘good friend’ of China

China says it is ‘deeply grieved by the loss of a good friend’, while Beijing’s envoy to Manila hails Jose Santiago Sta. Romana’s ‘undeniable contribution’ to the development of bilateral ties

Observers note he helped to patch up shaky relations with Beijing amid South China Sea disputes, while being a tireless voice in advocating for the Philippines’ interests and sovereignty

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Former Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:30pm, 19 Apr 2022Updated: 11:31pm, 19 Apr 2022

Tributes from the Philippines and China poured in on Tuesday for Manila’s envoy in Beijing Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana, who died on Monday in a quarantine hotel in Anhui after attending a key diplomatic meeting between the two nations’ foreign ministers.

It was not known whether Sta. Romana, 74, had contracted Covid-19 after the April 3 meeting, but China’s quarantine rules had required him to stay at the hotel in Huangshan city until April 25.

The late envoy played a key role in repairing once-tattered bilateral relations by advocating a more nuanced approach to the Philippines’ neighbour, after the 2016 arbitration ruling nullified Beijing’s claims to nearly all of South China Sea.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jnr and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi meet in Anhui Province, China, on April 3, 2022. Photo: Handout

In a statement about his death, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said after Sta. Romana was appointed in December 2016, “Philippine-China relations flourished despite differences; indeed they flowered all the more in maturity and were deeply strengthened”.

Wang Wenbin, China’s foreign ministry spokesman, said on Tuesday: “We are deeply grieved by the loss of a good friend and extend our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones. He worked actively and industriously, making important contributions to promoting bilateral relations and friendship between our two peoples.”

China’s ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian said Sta. Romana had made an “undeniable contribution to the development of China-Philippines relations”.

“Ambassador Chito has spent the best part of his life understanding and helping the world and the Philippines to understand China,” he said.