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President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (C) salutes during the Philippine Coast Guard founding anniversary in Manila, Philippines, Oct. 17, 2023. Francis R. Malasig, EPA-EFE 

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President Ferdinand Marcos Junior attends the Philippine Coastguard founding anniversary in Manila


Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span dir="ltr" id="isPasted"></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/11782033.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand &#x27;Bongbong&#x27; Marcos Jr. (C) salutes during the Philippine Coast Guard founding anniversary in Manila, Philippines, Oct. 17, 2023. Francis R. Malasig, EPA-EFE  "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">President Ferdinand &#x27;Bongbong&#x27; Marcos Jr. (C) salutes during the Philippine Coast Guard founding anniversary in Manila, Philippines, Oct. 17, 2023. <em>Francis R. Malasig, EPA-EFE </em></span><em> </em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. likened the Philippines&#x27; maritime dispute with China to the <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Biblical account of David and Goliath. </span></p><p>“That is a David and Goliath situation,” he <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">said in an interview with SBS Filipino.</span> </p><p>“I also remind them, David won.”<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"></span></p><div><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">The Philippines this week said that China Coast Guard vessels caused two collisions with Philippine boats and water cannoned one of them, leaving four crew injured during a resupply mission in the South China Sea.</span></div><p>Without directly mentioning China, Marcos said in the interview that countries “cannot decide to change their territorial area unilaterally”.</p><p> “That is an idea we had rejected a long time ago, but we are seeing,” he said.</p><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="2978029"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><p> Beijing has been illegally claiming parts of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone despite a 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its 9-dash line map.</p><p> Marcos said he was counting on the collective might of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to keep the South China Sea open and peaceful.</p><p> “I hold out a great deal of hope for ASEAN being the main actor in solving the problems that we are seeing now,” he said.</p><p> “None of us can fix this, resolve this on our own… we really have to come together as a group and have to adjust to the regional super power actions that are being undertaken,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/06/23/marcos-seeks-asean-support-vs-hegemonic-ambitions-in-south-china-sea">Marcos seeks ASEAN’s support to counter ‘hegemonic ambitions’ in South China Sea</a></div><p> Other nations should also support the push against China’s expansionist agenda as 60 percent of global trade pass through the South China Sea, the Filipino leader said. </p><p>“It is in the interest of the entire world to be kept open and free and stable and peaceful,” he said. </p><p>“If there is conflict, none of the grand plans we have for ourselves, for the region, for the world will come to fruition,” he said. </p><p>The Philippines is keen to “not regress into the old cold war, bipolar world,” Marcos Jr. said. </p><p>“During the cold war, most smaller countries had to choose between the United States and the Soviet Union,” he said. </p><p>“That’s certainly irrelevant in this case. We will not be forced into making a choice between one country or another in terms of alliances,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/6/us-calls-on-china-to-stop-dangerous-actions-vs-philippines-957">US calls on China to stop &#x27;dangerous&#x27; actions vs Philippines</a> </div><p>The Philippines has been forging closer ties with other nations, including Australia, under the current administration. </p><div> </div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p> President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. likened the Philippines' maritime dispute with China to the Biblical account of David and Goliath. </p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. likened the Philippines' maritime dispute with China to the Biblical account of David and Goliath.

Marcos: Sea row with China 'a David and Goliath situation -- and David won'

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Marcos: Sea row with China 'a David and Goliath situation -- and David won'

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 06, 2024 11:34 AM PHT

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Updated March 06, 2024 11:57 AM PHT

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