MANILA. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emphasized that his country is not in the business of instigating wars and will consistently seek peaceful resolutions to disputes. His remarks come amidst rising maritime confrontations with China in the South China Sea.
“In defending the nation, we stay true to our Filipino nature, aiming to settle all these issues peacefully,” Marcos stated during a speech to troops from the Western Command unit overseeing the South China Sea. Recent clashes between Philippine navy personnel and the Chinese coast guard during a routine resupply mission resulted in a severely injured sailor and damaged vessels. The Philippine military accused China’s Coast Guard personnel of looting firearms and deliberately damaging Philippine boats.
China contested the Philippine account, asserting that their actions were lawful and professional. Marcos, without explicitly naming China, praised the troops for exercising restraint “amidst intense provocation.” He reaffirmed that the Philippines would uphold its freedoms and rights by international law.
“In the performance of our duties, we will not resort to the use of force or intimidation, nor deliberately inflict injury or harm,” Marcos affirmed. “Our calm and peaceful disposition should not be mistaken for acquiescence.”
The highly strategic South China Sea has become a potential flashpoint between Washington and Beijing due to the recent maritime incidents. The United States has condemned China’s actions and reiterated its defense commitments to protect Philippine aircraft and vessels under their mutual defense treaty.
However, the Philippines clarified that invoking the treaty was unnecessary, as China’s actions—though escalatory—did not qualify as an ‘armed attack.’ China’s expansive claims over almost the entire South China Sea intersect with territories claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China’s claims lacked legal basis, a decision Beijing rejected. Marcos concluded, ‘We are not in the business of instigating wars; our great ambition is to provide a peaceful and prosperous life for every Filipino. We refuse to be coerced into choosing sides in a great power competition.’
Carlo Juancho FuntanillaFrontend Developer, WordPress, Shopify
Contributing Editor
AMA ACLC San Pablo
