President Marcos says Philippines ‘will not lose an inch’ of territory
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Philippines President Marcos' remarks come on the heels of continuing maritime tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MANILA – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Saturday that the country “will not lose an inch” of territory.
His remarks come amid maritime tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea.
The South-east Asian nation last week protested against what it called Beijing’s “aggressive activities” that have stoked a long-running territorial dispute over the South China Sea.
“The country has seen heightened geopolitical tensions that do not conform to our ideals of peace and threaten the security and stability of the country, of the region and of the world,” Mr Marcos said in a speech at a military alumni homecoming event.
“This country will not lose an inch of its territory. We will continue to uphold our territorial integrity and sovereignty in accordance with our Constitution and with international law. We will work with our neighbours to secure the safety and security of our peoples.”
Beijing’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China’s Foreign Ministry had said its coast guard conducted actions according to law.
Last Tuesday, Mr Marcos summoned China’s envoy to express his “serious concern” over Beijing’s “increasing frequency and intensity of actions” against the Philippine Coast Guard and Filipino fishermen in the South China Sea.
The Philippines’ Foreign Department on Tuesday also filed a diplomatic protest
However, Mr Marcos sees the laser-pointing incident as insufficient to invoke a mutual defence treaty with the United States, a long-standing ally.
“If we activated that, what we are doing is escalating, intensifying the tensions in the area, and I think that would be counterproductive,” he told reporters.
Mr Marcos said he discussed with China’s ambassador to Manila what he saw as intensifying actions of Chinese marine militia, coast guard and navy, including the laser-pointing incident.
China’s recent actions come just a month after Mr Marcos’ state visit to Beijing, where the two countries pledged to handle disputes peacefully and boost cooperation.
China claims large swathes of the strategic waterway, through which about US$3 trillion (S$4 trillion) in ship-borne trade passes annually. The claim was invalidated by an international tribunal in The Hague in 2016. REUTERS
