Philippines Ambassador to China, Jose Santiago ‘Chito’ Sta. Romana, Has Died at Age 74

Filipino soldiers stand at attention near a Philippine flag at Thitu island in disputed territory of the South China Sea on April 21, 2017. Erik De Castro/Reuters

The Philippines’ ambassador to China, Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana, died at the age of 74, the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said April 19.

The DFA said in a statement that the Philippine embassy in Beijing is coordinating with the Chinese authorities for the immediate repatriation of his remains.

“It is with the inconsolable grief of the Secretary and the profoundest sadness that the Department of Foreign Affairs announces the demise of the Philippine Ambassador to China, His Excellency Jose Santiago ‘Chito’ Sta. Romana,” it stated.

The DFA made no mention of the cause of his death in its statement, but the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry said that Sta. Romana died “due to an illness.”

“We are deeply grieved by the loss of a good friend and extend our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson told reporters. “We will work together with his family and the Philippine Embassy in China to properly handle follow-up matters and provide every convenience possible.”

According to DFA’s statement, Sta. Romana was appointed as Philippine Ambassador to China in December 2016 “in recognition of his deep knowledge of China’s history and people.”

“Under his distinguished tenure, Philippine–China relations flourished despite differences; indeed they flowered all the more in maturity and were deeply strengthened. We honor his important legacy of selfless service to the Filipinos in the most challenging foreign post,” it added.

Sta. Romana was a veteran journalist who spent more than three decades in China, according to the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement’s (PRRM) website, where he was listed as one of the PRRM trustees. He first traveled to China in 1971 as the head of a Filipino youth delegation.

Prior to joining the Philippine government, Sta. Romana worked as Beijing correspondent for ABC News. He covered China as a reporter and producer for the network from 1989 to 2010, covering major stories such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and the U.S–China crises in 1999 and 2001, PRRM said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.