Philippines must prepare as external threats grow, president says
MANILA听–听Philippine听笔谤别蝉颈诲别苍迟听Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the country should be听辫谤别辫补谤别d for any eventuality because of more pronounced听别虫迟别谤苍补濒听迟丑谤别补迟蝉听driven by heightened tension in the Indo-Pacific.
The听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别蝉‘ proximity to Taiwan puts it in China’s area of interest, Mr. Marcos said in a speech to troops at a military camp in Isabela province, in a northern region facing the democratically governed island which is viewed by Beijing as its own territory.
“The听别虫迟别谤苍补濒听threat now has become more pronounced, has become more worrisome, and that is why we have to听辫谤别辫补谤别,” Mr. Marcos told the troops on Monday. His remarks were shared by the听辫谤别蝉颈诲别苍迟ial palace on Tuesday.
The听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别蝉聽was not trying to redraw lines of sovereign territory including its exclusive economic zone, and the country was committed to defend itself while engaging in diplomacy, Mr. Marcos said.
China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别蝉聽has a longstanding territorial spat with China, which claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated China’s claims in 2016, a decision Beijing has rejected. – Reuters
