Philippines Apologizes to China Over Wrong Taiwan Logo

The Philippine defense department has apologized to China for the "grievous but purely unintentional mistake" of using Taiwan's defense ministry logo during a ceremony where the Chinese ambassador turned over assault rifles to the Filipino defense chief and top military commanders.

The department stressed that it and the military adhere to the 'One China policy,' wherein the Philippine government recognizes only the People's Republic of China as the sole sovereign state.
Photographer: Bullit Marquez/AP Photo

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By Associated Press

October 9, 2017 at 6:51 AM UTC

Updated on

October 9, 2017 at 7:45 AM UTC

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Manila, Philippines (AP) -- The Philippine defense department has apologized to China for the "grievous but purely unintentional mistake" of using Taiwan's defense ministry logo during a ceremony where the Chinese ambassador turned over thousands of assault rifles to the Filipino defense chief and top military commanders.

The Department of National Defense said Monday that Secretary Delfin Lorenzana issued an official apology to China through Beijing's ambassador over the "technical lapse" in last week's ceremony, which was covered by the media at military headquarters.