Marcos says Philippines ‘cannot yield’ territory despite China deal, bans Pogos during address
- His remarks came after Manila and Beijing agreed to a ‘provisional arrangement’ for resupply missions to Filipino troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal
The Philippines “cannot yield” in territorial disputes, President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said Monday, after a series of escalating confrontations with Beijing in the South China Sea.
“The Philippines cannot yield. The Philippines cannot waver,” Marcos said in his annual State of the Nation address to Congress.
Manila is locked in a long-standing territorial dispute with Beijing over parts of the strategic waterway, through which trillions of dollars worth of trade passes annually.
Without naming China in his speech, Marcos said the Philippines would continue to “find ways to de-escalate tensions in contested areas … without compromising our position and our principles”.
His remarks came after the Philippines and China agreed to a “provisional arrangement” for resupply missions to Filipino troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, which has been the focus of violent clashes in recent months.
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Chinese and Philippine ships clash in first incident under Beijing’s new coast guard law
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea and asserts its stance by deploying coastguard and other vessels to patrol the disputed waters and reefs.
