MANILA – The Philippines will fight China if it continues to ignore the country’s rights to the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
This is the warning of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his speech at the Lowy Institute here in Melbourne, Australia.
President Marcos said that the country’s independent foreign policy is the reason for the country to cooperate where our interest depends.
But we will no longer agree to different interests and will fight if the sworn principles such as our sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the WPS are questioned or ignored.
‘’Our independent foreign policy compels us to cooperate with them on matters where our interests align, to respectfully disagree on areas where our views differ, and to push back when our sworn principles such as our sovereignty, our sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea are questioned or ignored,’’ Marcos said.
The Philippines’ interest in the region depends on ensuring that the universal and unified character of the 982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) continues to be upheld.
Because of this, the upgrading of the Coast Guard’s capabilities, the modernization of the Armed Forces, and the approval this year of the plan to purchase modern equipment by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are also ongoing.
“Our forces must be able to guarantee to the fullest extent possible Filipino nationals, Philippine corporations, and those authorized by the Philippine government unimpeded and peaceful exploration and exploitation of all natural resources in the areas where we have jurisdiction including and especially our exclusive economic zone in accordance with international law,” the President stated.
