Mr del Rosario was held at the airport despite being given no information about his status or wrongdoing by Chinese officials. Immigration personnel told him it was an unspecified “case” – leading many to think that the former Filipino minister was being blocked entry due to his criticisms of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Amid rising tensions between the two nations in the South China Sea, Mr del Rosario earlier today criticised China’s call for a joint probe into the sinking of a Filipino fishing boat.
Beijing suggested that both nations should look into the incident, in which a Chinese trawler struck and sunk a smaller Filipino boat in disputed waters.
However, the former minister said that doing so would “be the worst news yet”.
He added: “It redounds to a potential partnership between one party which is out to seek the truth, against another party who is out to suppress it.
“We should really feel sorry for our poor fishermen, as the ultimate product of a joint probe with Beijing is expected to be no more than a bowl of fruit salad.
“Can we please not insult the intelligence of our people?”
Hours later, he found himself held at a Hong Kong airport.
He said: “I keep reminding them that I’m traveling on a diplomatic passport and according to the Vienna Convention.
“They have no right to hold me.”
Lawyer Anne Marie Corominas added: “This is pure harassment here. He hasn’t been told of the reason why he has been detained and asked to wait.”
This is not the first time Mr del Rosario has criticised Beijing, though.
He filed a case before the International Criminal Court in March accusing the Chinese President of expanding illegally in the South China Sea, which also hurt the environment.
Three years earlier he led the government’s team in preventing China from claiming economic rights over two thirds of the South China Sea.
Mr del Rosario loyally served under former President Benigno Aquino III – who himself accused China of bullying other nations in the South China Sea.
He has occasionally criticised Mr Duterte for not having a strong enough stance on China.
The move comes amid accusations that China are ‘bullying’ smaller nations in the region in an attempt to wrestle full control of the South China Sea.