On March 4th, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that he “simply have no choice” in defending the country’s territorial integrity since it is a “primordial duty of a leader.” Marcos also said that the country will respond and defend against threats if they are made against it.
Marcos made the comments during his speech at the Australia-based think tank, the Lowy Institute, in Melbourne while he was in the country to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Australia.
However, Marcos also hinted that he would “push back ties” with China if the country continued to ignore the Philippines’ sovereignty and territorial rights after his speech.
He also said that while the Philippines and China’s relationship is based on “mutual respect and mutual benefit,” the countries will disagree on areas and push back when the country’s principles are “questioned or ignored.”
