23-6-2024 (MANILA) Amidst escalating maritime confrontations with China in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has affirmed his country’s commitment to resolving disputes through peaceful means. In a speech to troops of the Western Command unit, responsible for overseeing the contested waters, Marcos emphasized the Philippines’ desire to settle issues without resorting to force or intimidation.
“In defending the nation, we stay true to our Filipino nature that we would like to settle all these issues peacefully,” Marcos stated. “In the performance of our duties, we will not resort to the use of force or intimidation, or deliberately inflict injury or harm to anyone.”
The President’s remarks come in the wake of a recent clash between Philippine navy personnel and the Chinese coast guard during a routine resupply mission in the disputed region. The Philippine military reported that a Filipino sailor was severely injured, and their vessels sustained damage during the incident.
While Marcos refrained from explicitly naming China, the confrontation has drawn condemnation from the United States, Britain, and Canada. Beijing, however, has disputed the Philippine account, with a spokesperson asserting that the measures taken were lawful, professional, and beyond reproach.
The South China Sea, a crucial maritime trade route accounting for more than $3 trillion in annual shipborne commerce, has been a long-standing source of contention. China claims almost the entire area, overlapping with parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China’s claims had no legal basis, a decision that Beijing has rejected.
