Philippines says it will not escalate tensions in the region

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says the Philippines has no intention of increasing tensions in the region

On Monday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines declared that the country would refrain from employing water cannons or aggressive armaments in the South China Sea.

Marcos informed reporters that the Philippines is determined to avoid escalating tensions in the strategic waterway.

“We have no intention of following the Chinese coast guard and vessels in that direction,” Marcos stated, emphasizing that the primary objective of the Philippine navy and coast guard is to reduce tensions. Furthermore, there are no plans to equip the vessels with water cannons.”

The Chinese embassy in Manila has not yet provided a response to a request for comment.

Manila recently expressed its opposition to Beijing’s deployment of water cannons against Filipino vessels at a contested shoal in the South China Sea. The Philippines characterized this action as harassment and “dangerous maneuvers” in response to escalating tensions in the region over the past few months.

China asserts its sovereignty over a significant portion of the South China Sea, which serves as a crucial route for over $3 trillion worth of annual maritime trade. This area includes territories that the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei also claim.

Source: Newsroom