Potty mouth diplomacy is anything but diplomatic

Philippines’ foreign minister Teddy Locsin Jr’s coarse outburst this week has raised an eyebrow, but it’s refreshing when the mask slips, writes David Harding

Philippines’ secretary for foreign affairs, Teodoro Locsin Jr, tweeted a profanity over Chinese boats allegedly being inside the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone (AFP/Getty)

Telling China to “get the f*** out” is hardly the most diplomatic of messages.

But whether he knew it or not, Philippines’ foreign minister Teddy Locsin Jr ’s Twitter message earlier this week complaining about Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea carried on a fine tradition of anger and insult between countries. 

It turns out the world of diplomacy can be anything but diplomatic.