A DAY after saying China’s new coast guard law is “none of our business”, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Wednesday, January 27, 2021, that he has filed a diplomatic protest.

“While enacting law is a sovereign prerogative, this one—given the area involved or, for that matter, the open South China Sea—is a verbal threat of war to any country that defies the law; which, if unchallenged, is submission to it,” Locsin posted on Twitter.

He said he filed the diplomatic protest “after reflection” on this development.

After reflection I fired a diplomatic protest. While enacting law is a sovereign prerogative, this one—given the area involved or for that matter the open South China Sea—is a verbal threat of war to any country that defies the law; which, if unchallenged, is submission to it. https://t.co/h2wHNPPH8n

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 27, 2021

A day earlier, he said “it is China's business what laws it passes” and asked those who were quick to criticize the new policy to exercise a little self-restraint.

China’s state media reported that the National People’s Congress passed a law on January 22, authorizing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels.

The Philippines is among the Southeast Asian countries embroiled in maritime disputes with China over the South China Sea, or the West Philippine Sea. (SunStar Philippines)