March 29, 2024
3 mins read

Marcos Jr. warns of countermeasures against China

Marcos’s warning is the latest sign of the escalating disputes between China and the Philippines…reports Asian Lite News

The Philippine president said Thursday that his government would take action against what he called dangerous attacks by the Chinese coast guard and suspected militia ships in the disputed South China Sea, saying “Filipinos do not yield.”

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not provide details of the actions his government would take in the succeeding weeks but said these would be “proportionate, deliberate and reasonable in the face of the open, unabating, and illegal, coercive, aggressive and dangerous attacks by agents of the China coast guard and Chinese maritime militia.”

“We seek no conflict with any nation,” Marcos wrote on X, formerly Twitter, but said the Philippines would not be “cowed into silence.”

Marcos’s warning is the latest sign of the escalating disputes between China and the Philippines in the contested waters that have caused minor collisions between the coast guard and other vessels of the rival claimant nations, sparked a war of words and strained relations.

China and the Philippines, along with Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, have overlapping claims in the resource-rich and busy waterway, where a bulk of the world’s commerce and oil transits.

Chinese officials in Manila or Beijing did not immediately respond to Marcos’s public warning, which he issued during Holy Week — one of the most sacred religious periods in the largely Roman Catholic nation.

China’s defense ministry accused the Philippines of escalating the South China Sea disputes by undertaking provocative moves and spreading “misinformation to mislead the international community.”

“It is straying further down a dangerous path,” Senior Col. Wu Qian, the Chinese defense ministry’s top spokesperson, said in a statement issued Thursday by the Chinese Embassy in Manila.

Both China and the Philippines said they were acting to protect their sovereignty. Wu said China remained “committed to properly managing maritime differences,” while Marcos said he had been in touch with international allies who had offered to help the Philippines.

Marcos said he issued his statement after meeting top Philippine defense and national security officials, who submitted their recommendations. These include the use of faster military vessels instead of chartered civilian boats when the Philippine navy delivers a new batch of personnel and supplies to the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, two Philippine security officials said.

The shoal, the site of frequent hostilities since last year, has been occupied by a small Philippine naval contingent but surrounded by the Chinese coast guard and other vessels in a decades-long territorial standoff.

It’s unclear if Marcos approved that recommendation. The two Philippine officials separately spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the issue publicly.

In the latest hostilities on Saturday, the Chinese coast guard used water cannons that injured several Philippine navy crewmen and heavily damaged their wooden supply boat near the Second Thomas Shoal. The cannon blast was so strong it threw a crewman off the floor but he hit a wall instead of plunging into the sea, Philippine military officials said.

ALSO READ: UN rights panel urges govt to drop Rwanda plan  

Previous Story

UN rights panel urges govt to drop Rwanda plan  

Next Story

Zelensky urges House speaker for quick passage of aid  

Latest from -Top News

WAVES 2025: Jaishankar Advocates Cultural Pluralism

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a powerful address at the WAVES 2025 Global Media Dialogue, highlighting the significance of cultural pluralism in shaping global change. Speaking on the second day of

India Eyes Supply Chain Shift

India’s electronics manufacturing sector is undergoing a remarkable transformation, positioning the country as a major global hub for production and supply chain diversification. Riding on favourable government policies, geopolitical tailwinds, and a

Carney Confirms May 6 White House Visit

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Washington on May 6 for a high-stakes meeting with US President Donald Trump, just days after taking office following a contentious federal election. Speaking

Rubio Backs AfD, Slams Berlin

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has strongly criticised Germany for officially classifying the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as an extremist organisation, accusing the German government of undermining democracy under

India Bans All Pakistan Imports

In a sharp escalation of diplomatic hostilities, India has banned all direct and indirect imports from Pakistan with immediate effect, following the brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region that
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Weather disasters cost US $145bn in 2021

Winter storms followed their tropical counterparts, causing $24 billion in

India Crushes Zimbabwe by 100 Runs as Abhishek Sharma Stars with Century

Abhishek Sharma was the highlight of the game with the