TOKYO: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stressed the need to find “new solutions” to defuse tensions between the Philippines and China in their drawn-out dispute in the South China Sea.
In an interview with Japanese media on Saturday, the President also said the country has to maintain strong alliances as China becomes more aggressive in asserting its territorial claims on the disputed waterway.
SIGNED President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida witness the exchange of a memorandum of cooperation between the Philippines and Japan. With them are Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia ‘Toni’ Yulo-Loyzaga and Minister of the Environment of Japan Ito Shintaro. PPA POOL PHOTO
“Tensions have increased rather than diminished for the past months or the past years, but we continue to counsel peace and continue communication between the different countries — everyone that is involved,” Marcos said.
He said he considers the South China Sea situation as “the most complex geopolitical challenge that the world faces.”
Despite the rising tensions, the President made it clear the Philippines will not start a new conflict in the region.
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He said that with the Russia-Ukraine war raging, which he described as a “tragedy,” no country in the world wants to start a new conflict, especially in Asia.
Marcos said the Philippines remains committed to maintaining peace and adhering to a rules-based order amid rising geopolitical tension in Asia.
He said the Philippines is always open to the idea of finding new solutions to regional problems.
“I cannot say that we have found the answer yet. We are still trying to formulate that answer as we speak. And things are moving very quickly in many parts of the South China Sea, and so there are changes in terms of approaches,” he said.
The President said the increasing collaboration between the Philippines and Japan is a “very good example of evolution.”
The Philippines became the first recipient of the Japanese Official Security Assistance (OSA).
“This alliance that we have come together with Japan is again, is to show, to help us rather, work together more closely. Because in the military, since there is a tactical operation, we really have to train with one another,” Marcos said.
He said more arrangements involving interoperability between allies must be “in place.”
He mentioned the trilateral agreement between the United States, Japan and the Philippines.
“I think that really is the pattern that we are seeing to emerge, and that is how we are evolving,” he added.
Marcos is in Tokyo to participate in the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-Japan Relations Summit.
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