FILE PHOTO: A Philippine supply boat sails near a Chinese Coast Guard ship during a resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed at a grounded warship in the South China Sea, on Oct 4, 2023. (Photo: REUTERS/Adrian Portugal)
Published November 20, 2023
MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos insisted his country would not give up “a single square inch of our territory”, as Manila seeks to counter Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.
The remarks were made at a forum in Hawaii on Sunday (Nov 19), and came days after Marcos met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit in San Francisco where the pair discussed their countries’ maritime territorial disputes.
Marcos said the situation in the South China Sea had become “more dire than it was before”, warning that China’s military had “started to show interest” in building bases on reefs that were “closer and closer to the Philippine coastline”.
“As I have said before and I will say again, the Philippines will not give up a single square inch of our territory to any foreign power,” Marcos said.
“We will insist on the preservation of the sovereignty and integrity of the country while working closely with international partners.”
Longstanding tensions between Manila and Beijing over the hotly contested sea have flared in recent weeks following several incidents involving Philippine and Chinese vessels, including two collisions.
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SOURCE: www.channelnewsAsia.com
RELATED: Philippines’ Marcos meets China’s Xi to find ways to reduce South China Sea tensions
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr review the honour guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China January 4, 2023…. Acquire Licensing Rights
Published November 20, 2023
MANILA, Nov 18 (Reuters) – (This Nov. 18 story has been corrected to remove extraneous words in paragraph 1)
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, seeking ways to reduce tensions in the South China Sea and restore Filipino fishermen’s access to fishing grounds.
The Philippines and China need to continue to communicate, with the meeting a key part of the process to maintain peace, and keep open sea lanes and airways over the South China Sea, Marcos told reporters on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in San Francisco.
We tried to come up with mechanisms to lower the tensions in the South China Sea,” Marcos said, without elaborating.
Marcos said he voiced concern over incidents between Chinese and Philippine vessels, including one collision. He said he also raised the plight of Filipino fishermen.
“I asked that we go back to the situation where both Chinese and Filipino fishermen were fishing together in these waters,” he said.
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SOURCE: www.Reuters.com
RELATED: Philippines eyes codes of conduct to keep peace in South China Sea
Published November 20, 2023
MANILA, Philippines — Tensions in the South China Sea require the Philippines to partner with allies and neighbors to maintain peace there, including establishing codes of conduct as the situation becomes “more dire”, the Philippines’ president said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, speaking at a forum in Hawaii streamed live on Monday in the Philippines, said the priority was maintaining order and having agreed rules to follow.
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SOURCE: www.globalnation.inquirer.net
